Hidden in Plain Sight
by oStilloDreamingo
Summary: - ON HOLD - InuSess. I am currently focusing on my HP fic. This might not be updated for quite a while.
1. 0,0 Prologue

**Author: **I am a new author, although I've been reading fanfics for a while. I'm open to suggestions and constructive criticism. Flames not appreciated. Don't think they help anyone.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha.

**Pairing: **Inuyasha/Sesshomaru or Inuyasha/OC (I'd like to do Inucest. However, I will be introducing new characters in the story. I anyone would like an alternate pairing, mention it in a review and I'll consider it!)

**Warnings: **Rated M, Potential Inucest, YAOI

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**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 00 – The Annual Meet  
_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Prologue  
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"You did not come… I've been waiting…"

The wind carried the softly spoken words over to a pair of sensitive furry ears.

Inuyasha looked up to see a flash of white hidden in the shadows of the forest.

"I did not think we needed to see each other this year. You have been around. You know of everything that has happened to me since I have awakened." He murmured just as softly.

There was a short contemplative silence before he heard his half-brother reply.

"Not quite everything, little brother. We have much to discuss. Be there by sunset."

Inuyasha sensed Sesshomaru speed away without waiting for a reply.

"_Cocky bastard. What if I don't want to come?"_

Inuyasha snorted softly.

The daiyoukai's holier-than-thou attitude was a constant source of amusement to him. His thoughts drifted to a certain child that accompanied his stuck-up brother.

_A ningen child._ He sighed softly.

"_But you are right. We do have a lot to talk about."_

Inuyasha looked down to see Kirara staring up at him curiously. He chuckled softly and petted the cat behind her ears, earning him a purr.

The nekomata was a lot smarter than many gave her credit for. She had sensed no danger from Sesshomaru, and hence had not alerted the misshapen pack of his presence.

He looked up to see a certain fox kit happily munching away at some grilled fish, and his expression soured.

The little kitsune's tracking and sensing abilities were abhorrent, and near non existent. Alone in the wild, the kit would never have survived, and even now is dependent on ningen for his nourishment. The unfledged miko's constant pampering did not help any.

Inuyasha sighed for the second time that day and went to inform the group of his temporary absence.

"_Lets see… I could tell them that I will be scouting around for the next little while and to not panic. I should be back within three days. That presumptuous little bitch will probably try to maim me with that damned necklace."_

**oOoOo**

Inuyasha made it to the clearing in good time. The sun had only just begun setting. He took sat down near a boulder and watched the disk slip away below the horizon. He smiled when he felt a familiar presence settle down beside him. He could feel the golden eyes study his feature thoughtfully.

"Why did you not come, Inuyasha?" said Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha felt a bitter smile cross his face, before it smoothed away into a quiet smile. He looked pointedly towards the youkai's missing limb.

"I did not think you would want to see me after that."

He lifted his gaze and was surprised to see the smirk on the usually impassive face.

"Feeling guilty little brother?" Sesshomaru teased.

"Feh" was all the puppy-eared hanyou had to say, tossing his head, looking away to hide his blush.

"You can't have it Sesshomaru. You can't have the Tetsaiga" He breathed, still looking away from those metallic eyes.

The chill that accompanied those words could not be attributed entirely to the oncoming nightfall.

Sesshomaru made a noncommittal "Hn" sound.

"We will discuss that later, Inuyasha. There are other more pressing matters that require our immediate attention."

"Such as?" asked Inuyasha, already knowing the answer.

"_Damn He didn't take the bait!"_

"Do not pretend ignorance little brother." said Sesshomaru sternly. "It does not become you. You are required to attend the Gathering this year. You are now two hundred years old, an adult by youkai tradition. You will be now introduced to the other royal clans as a potential mate."

"Youkai traditions?" Inuyasha scoffed. Inuyasha turned to look at his brother and batted his lashes and wiggled his ears, smiling, eyes brimming with mirth. "But, Sesshomaru, I am not a youkai, as you like to point out oh so frequently."

The smile leeched off his face as he took in Sesshomaru's smug countenance.

"What am I missing?" he hissed harshly.

"It seems, our father anticipated this little obstacle, and before his demise made a significant change to the tradition. One, that this Sesshomaru is unable to overrule, little brother."

"What is it? Spit it out already. Bastard."

Inuyasha couldn't help but add that last little barb. He hated it when Sesshomaru called him his '_brother'_ more than every other insult that he had had to endure in his life.

Sesshomaru smiled serenely chilling Inuyasha to the bone, telling him that his brother too understood perfectly.

"You will attend 'little brother'. You have no choice in the matter." said Sesshomaru handing him a scroll tied with silver ribbon that until now Inuyasha had failed to notice.

Blood drained from his face as Inuyasha read the simple words that promised to overturn his life once again.

* * *

**oOo**

The youkai belonging to the Royal, Warrior and Noble clans are to be presented to the annual gathering during mating season during their 200th year. This presentation will mark said youkai as a legal adult, hence entitled to all rights and properties as per their position, marking them as mate worthy for potential suitors.

The above stated law is hereby annulled and revised.

I, Inu no Taisho, hereby decree that those of youkai blood of the Royals, Warriors and Nobles are to be presented to the annual gathering during mating season during their 200th year. This presentation will mark said individual as a legal adult, hence entitled to all rights and properties as befitting their position, marking them as mate worthy for potential suitors.

Henceforth, this law is absolute and cannot be subjected to further revision.

**Signed and witnessed (seals)**: Lord of the North, Lord of the South, Lord of the East and Lord of the West.

**oOo**

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Inuyasha studied the animal seals representing the four Royal Clans; the fire phoenix, the snow phoenix, the golden tiger and the silver dog, hoping they were a sham, but no such luck. The seals were made in blood. And the paper used for the scroll was imbued with magic so that only blood from the royal clans may stain it. 

Inuyasha, with trembling hands returned the scroll to his brother.

His brother looked at him impassively, letting the silence stretch out before them.

"They are expecting me then, huh?"

Inuyasha looked up at his brother to see disgust staining his aristocratic face as he said, "You may bring that pathetic miko wench if you wish. By youkai tradition, it takes a full year to finalize a mating. You will have to start now if you wish to have the mortal by next year."

Inuyasha stared at his brother and a tender smile blossomed on his face. The smile then turned into a maniacal grin that threatened to split his face. And suddenly without warning, he fell on his back and began laughing uproariously, clutching at his belly. The look on the youkai lord's face was priceless as he watched his little brother's antics.

"Brother…" Inuyasha gasped, between laughs. "We… need… to… **_talk_**.".

**oOoOo **

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**Character profiles - Canon**

**Lord Inuyasha (dog forest spirit)**  
Species: Royalty - Silver dog half demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands  
Status: Heir apparent of the Western Lands  
Age Group: Adult - 200

**Lord Sesshoumaru (killing perfection)**  
Species: Royalty - Silver Dog Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands  
Status: Lord of the Western Lands; Alpha male of the Silver dog clan  
Age Group: Adult - 535

**Kagome ****(children's rhyme)**  
Species: Human  
Allegiance: Inuyasha's shard-hunter group; Higurashi shrine  
Status: Untrained priestess  
Age Group: 15

**Sango (coral)**  
Species: Human - Nobility  
Allegiance: Inuyasha's shard-hunter group; Western Lands; Demon slayer clan  
Status: Heiress of Demon slayer clan  
Age Group: 19

**Miroku**** (I have no clue)**  
Species: Human  
Allegiance: Inuyasha's shard-hunter group; Moushin's Shrine  
Status: Heir to the Monastery  
Age Group: 22

**Shippou**** (seven jewels)  
**Species: Lower Caste - Red fox demon  
Allegiance: Inuyasha's shard-hunter group  
Status: Not Applicable  
Age Group: Child - 50

**Kirara ****(cloud mother)**  
Species: Familiar - Two tailed Cat  
Allegiance: Inuyasha's shard-hunter group; Demon slayer clan  
Status: Not Applicable  
Age Group: Ancient - ???

**oOoOo **

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**Japanese Words / English Translations**

Daiyoukai/Big Demon (Towering Beast Form)  
Youkai/Demon  
Hanyou/ Half Demon  
Ningen/Human  
Tennyo/Celestial Maiden  
Tenjin/Celestial Being

Nekomata/Cat Demon (Familiar)  
Ookami/Wolf  
Nezumi/Rat  
Koi/A kind of Fish  
Dokusou/Poison Plant  
Kappa / Imp  
Kitsune/Fox  
Inu/Dog

Akai/Red  
Youki/Demon Instinct  
Saigen - means limit literarily/Demon Powers  
Reiryoku/Spiritual Power

Miko/Priestess  
Hime/Princess  
Hoshi/Monk  
Taijiya/Demon Slayer  
Aniki/Big Brother  
Otouto/Little Brother  
Samurai/Japanese style of Swordplay  
Inu no Taisho – Lord of the Dogs

Ohayo/Good Morning  
Shikon no Tama/Sacred Jewel of the Four Souls  
Katana/Sword  
Kazaana/Wind Tunnel  
Doukasou/Poison Claw

Kiri no Shouheki/Mist Barrier  
Shiyuuchi/Estate  
Koukyo/Imperial Palace  
Setsuna/Moment – Izayoi's father's holdings

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**Please review. It takes only a few seconds.**

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	2. 1,1 Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings: **Rated M, Inucest, YAOI

* * *

**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

Inuyasha looked up at his brother to see disgust staining his aristocratic face as he said, "You may bring that pathetic miko wench if you wish. By youkai tradition, it takes a full year to finalize a mating. You will have to start now if you wish to have the mortal by next year."

Inuyasha stared at his brother and a tender smile blossomed on his face. The smile then turned into a maniacal grin that threatened to split his face. And suddenly without warning, he fell on his back and began laughing uproariously, clutching at his belly. The look on the youkai lord's face was priceless as he watched his little brother's antics.

"Brother…" Inuyasha gasped, between laughs. "We… need… to… **_talk_**.".

**oOoOo**

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**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 01 – Journey to the Palace of the West  
_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 1_**

Moonphase - Half Moon (Waning)**__**

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**_

After a while, Inuyasha finally managed to regain his composure, although his eyes were still dancing with mirth.

"Sesshomaru…" Inuyasha whispered, seeing the confusion behind the molten eyes, "You really don't understand, do you?"

Sesshomaru simply cocked his head to the right regally, waiting for an explanation.

"I confess that I am not the brightest creature around, Aniki. But even I am not stupid enough to take that unfledged miko as a mate. She is barely a woman."

Sesshomaru looked at him, his brows drawing together in a frown.

"She is well past puberty, Inuyasha. By ningen standards she should be _wed_ by now, and perhaps carrying a child." Sesshomaru said, tasting the purely ningen term on his tongue. Youkai mating rituals involved a lot more than the simple agreement of two parties to unite their offspring.

Inuyasha snorted at that.

"Please, like I would trust a child; let alone my own in the hands of that wench." Inuyasha said, his eyes darkening as his thoughts went to his akai-kitsune companion. "Besides, not only can I not take a ningen mate, Kagome is not from this realm."

"_Not from this realm?" thought Sesshomaru. "If not, is she from the spirit realm? She couldn't possibly be a celestial maiden. Neither her form, her scent, let alone her voice is pleasing enough for her to be celestial maiden. But then, Inuyasha claims that she is a ningen from another realm…"_

Seeing Sesshomaru's growing confusion, Inuyasha let out a sigh, and launched into an explanation of Kagome's home world, their courting and marriage customs and how because of the jewel of the four souls, she ended up in this realm, freeing Inuyasha from the sacred tree to save her own life, and the jewel coming out of her body.

"Kagome believes that the bone-eater well is a pathway between now and five hundred years into the future." Inuyasha said contemplatively, looking at a wilted flower beside him. "But that couldn't be right."

Inuyasha looked up into Sesshomaru's eyes and was pleased to see Sesshomaru's entire being focused on his tale.

"In our world, power and ranking is decided, not only by wealth and breeding, but also by the amount of spiritual power a ningen possesses, or the amount of yokai a youkai possesses. In Kagome's world, there are no pure blood youkai like yourself."

"_Or any hanyou like me…" he added mentally._

"There, the powerful are those who are born wealthy, or work their way up through the ranks. Spiritual powers are irrelevant, as their primary uses are for healing and combating youkai. As there are no youkai, or any intelligent creatures other than ningen, combat is unnecessary. There are a very insignificant number of monks and priestesses of very minor power, who band together in monasteries and temples. These holy men and women assist the spirits of ningen that have been unable to crossover after death. For healing they rely strictly on advanced technology and medicine. For running their day to day lives, they use a source of power known as _electricity_, which I cannot fully comprehend, but is fairly harmless, since its use is very widespread."

At this point, Sesshomaru restrained himself from asking more about this electricity, realizing that that was beside the point. The story his little brother was telling him was preposterous, but then again the brothers for all their animosity, had always been truthful to each other. Sesshomaru decided to take his little brother's word for it.

"In our world, among ningen, the highest ranking goes to the family with the most spiritual power, and then wealth follows. In richer nations, these gifted individuals are the sovereign, and in villages and the like they are the monks and priestesses. Among youkai, the royal clans possess the greatest yokai concentration, followed by the warrior clans and finally the noble clans. Wiping out this kind of power concentration is nigh impossible to do over a mere five hundred years Sesshomaru, no matter how advanced a technology is used. Also, they believe youkai to be a creature of dreams and myth, and have no bearing on their recorded history in their past millennia, or our past five hundred years."

Sesshomaru found himself inclining his head in agreement with the conclusion. He was quite impressed with Inuyasha's breadth of knowledge regarding the hierarchies of the lands, and the effort he put in to discover information of this nature. He suspected Myouga to be his source of information, serving Inuyasha as he had served Inu no Taisho in the past. The flea-youkai was well known in both ningen and youkai courts, frequently acting as a liaison.

Inuyasha lapsed into silence after this, waiting for his brother to make a response, as he mulled over everything in his head.

"This troubles me… ", said Sesshomaru frowning thoughtfully, "It troubles me that creatures from another realm would be able to cross over to our realm so easily."

Inuyasha felt a smile crossing his face. His brother was always unusually amiable during their yearly briefings and he enjoyed seeing his brother in lights other than the _'cold-hearted-bastard-that-is-out-to-get-me'_. Right now, his guardian persona was evident, placing the safety of the Western Lands above personal goals; one of the reasons why Inuyasha was still alive and the Western Land was thriving. The daiyoukai was simply too busy to be able to make the time to hunt down and destroy a non-vindictive hanyou in his lands, despite the stain on his pedigree.

"You don't have to worry about that, Sesshomaru. The well is a closely guarded secret. I am only telling you because it is on your lands, making it your concern. Only those that possess a lot of spiritual energy are able to cross over. In her lands, Kagome is the only ningen with the ability to cross-over, and that too only because she is assisted by the jewel shards. I am able to cross-over because of my ningen heritage."

Sesshomaru carefully restrained the urge to raise his eyebrows in surprise. Years of training as the royal heir made it possible for Sesshomaru to have excellent control over his expressions, showing only the aloof dignity that was expected of him. For two youkai to mate, their youkai level needed to be near identical. It was a well known fact that Inuyasha's mother, Izayoi-hime, had both supernatural beauty and spiritual power unparalleled. Hence she was able to mate with the former Lord of the Western Lands, with his unparalleled yokai. What he had not realized was that Inuyasha had inherited not only his father's youkai, but also his mother's wealth of spiritual powers.

_Ningen and youkai powers residing in the same body… Inuyasha… what else have you been hiding from me…_

_Inuyasha cannot take a ningen mate… because his yokai demands a powerful mate… and there are few ningen and youkai able to meet his level of power, except…_

Suddenly Sesshomaru's eyes turned red with rage, his yokai emitting killer intent.

"**You may not bring the undead priestess to the Gathering, nor will I allow you to take her as a mate!"** he snarled viciously.

At Sesshomaru's violent outburst, Inuyasha face screwed up for a bit, before straightening up again and settling for looking grossed out.

"Sesshomaru…", he stated calmly. "You are a sick, twisted bastard."

That stopped the daiyoukai's anger cold in its path. The great Lord of the West was not used to dealing with a calm Inuyasha. The Inuyasha he knew seldom seemed capable of holding his temper, and in fact had a tendency to rush into battle without thinking.

"I gather you are not interested in having the undead priestess as your mate?" Sesshomaru offered.

"You are correct." Inuyasha said coldly. "I do not feel like screwing with a homicidal mound of reeking graveyard soil on a soul collecting rampage, nor do I expect it to provide me with pups. In fact currently, there is no one I see as a potential mate, hence you need not think up of any more extra imaginary guests that will be attending the Gathering this year."

Sesshomaru wisely let the issue rest.

An awkward silence followed broken by the daiyoukai when he stood up abruptly.

"Come back here in two days time, we will meet at sunset. I will escort you to our father's palace, where the Gathering will be held. That will give us enough time to reach the palace and settle in before your mortal phase begins." Sesshomaru said, revealing that he knew of Inuyasha's ningen night, before taking off into the forest not looking back to check if Inuyasha was clear on his instructions.

"_Typical Sesshomaru… take off as soon you get your answers." Inuyasha thought. "Damn I forgot to ask him about his ningen companion."_

**oOoOo**_  
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**Author's Note:**

**Special thanks to: **RKInu241, SonnyGoten, thr3e, petpeeves12, C-loke, Uzamaki Liliana, sesshomarunaraku, Solstrale and Onyxlight. Thanks for your reviews!

Hi Everyone. Thanks for reading… I hope you enjoyed yourself. For my fiction, I will be following the lunar calendar, hence the phase of the moon will be mentioned in every chapter. The importance of the moon phases will be explained as the story progresses. This chapter happens during the waning half moon. Meaning new moon is seven days away.

**SonnyGoten**, thanks for pointing that out. As I am a new member, I was not aware that the anonymous reviews feature was disabled.

**Please continue reviewing!**

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	3. 1,2 Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings: **Rated M, Inucest, YAOI

* * *

**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

An awkward silence followed broken by the daiyoukai when he stood up abruptly.

"Come back here in two days time, we will meet at sunset. I will escort you to our father's palace, where the Gathering will be held. That will give us enough time to reach the palace and settle in before your mortal phase begins." Sesshomaru said, revealing that he knew of Inuyasha's ningen night, before taking off into the forest not looking back to check if Inuyasha was clear on his instructions.

"_Typical Sesshomaru… take off as soon you get your answers." Inuyasha thought. "Damn I forgot to ask him about his ningen companion."_

**oOoOo**

* * *

**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 01 – Journey to the Palace of the West  
_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 2  
_**

_**

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**_

Inuyasha returned to the camp at daybreak, as the Shard-hunter group were putting away their camping gear.

Kilala bounded over to the inu-hanyou, circled and rubbed against his legs, near tripping him in her exuberance.

"Baka furball …" chuckled Inuyasha picking up the nekomata, running his claws through her fur, making her arch and purr. "Were you worried for me, hmm?"

"Welcome back, Inuyasha", greeted Miroku, a red handprint was blazing across the right half of the hoshi's face. "I trust everything is in order in these woods."

Inuyasha grunted back an affirmative, smirking when he spotted the glowering Sango. He had a pretty good idea what her wake up call had been this fine morning.

"_If he keeps this up, he will lose what little affection the taijiya harbours for him."_

Inuyasha had serious doubts concerning the monk's intentions towards the Sango, the heiress and last of the fallen clan of youkai hunters.

"Ohayo Inuyasha!" Kagome called from her bedroll, as usual the last to awaken.

Inuyasha frowned when he saw her lift a red ball of fluff from her sleeping bags.

"_The kit is still asleep!" Inuyasha thought incredulously._

He picked up the kitsune by the scruff of his neck, and plunked it into the river nearby, effectively waking it up.

"WAAAAAAAH… KAGOME… HELP… I CAN'T SWIM!"

Inuyasha snorted as he stared at the pathetic kitling crying its eyes out, bawling at the top of its voice, not realizing that it was sitting on the shallow river bed.

"INUYASHA, SIT BOY!" came the predictable response from the irate miko, sending the inu-hanyou speeding towards the forest floor.

Inuyasha just sighed as he hit the forest floor, cushioning the air with his spiritual powers to gentle his fall, feeling depressed when Kagome failed to notice the usage of spiritual powers in such close proximity to herself. Untrained as she was, it seemed as though Kagome could only visualize very high concentrations of spiritual energies, like that of the Shikon no tama. Inuyasha himself although he could not see the shards themselves, he could always detect the general direction in which the next shard would be located. Kagome's ability came into play during actual battles, when the group needed to extract a piece of the shard from an empowered youkai.

The group had their usual breakfast of baked fish and ramen, unaware that Inuyasha and Kilala had already made a meal of a few rabbits in the forest, while they were catching fish.

"Kilala is getting restless…" Sango observed as they cleaned up their campsite, ready to travel once again.

Miroku nodded, his expression darkening in comprehension, casting a glance at their hanyou companion, who nodded in confirmation.

Kagome hoisted her yellow schoolbag onto her shoulders, looking back at the group, puzzled and concerned.

"Kilala…? Sango what is the matter. Why are you all so serious all of a sudden? Is Kilala sick?"

Sango smiled.

"Kilala is just fine Kagome. We appreciate your concern. However spring is approaching and it may not be wise to be traveling during this time of the year."

"But why not?" asked the schoolgirl.

Seeing the girl's confusion, the monk decided to intervene.

"Kagome, spring is when mating season begins. During this time, by the law of the land, hunting youkai is forbidden. In fact, it is the most dangerous time of the year for both youkai and ningen. Any ningen or youkai caught attempting to or succeeding to kill a youkai during this time will be executed."

"But why? I mean we only take out the evil ones. It's not like we will be doing anything bad…"

Shippou looked up in shock and fear.

"No Kagome, during mating season, all youkai past their first heat become at least ten times as powerful, and will do anything within their power to find a suitable mate. Killing any youkai, evil or not, will be seen as depriving the youkai population of a possible breeding pair. The Lord of the West will hunt us down and execute us."

"_Well, well, well… there may still be hope for you Shippou. Maybe you have not been spoiled beyond redemption."_ Inuyasha thought, proud that the kit was showing respect and understanding for the youkai traditions.

"But then what about Naraku! We need to find the jewel shards." Kagome shrieked.

Inuyasha snorted. Until now, he was silent, waiting for the group to draw their own conclusions regarding youkai mating customs and now decided to add his own penny worth.

"_Naraku_ will not dare to show his face during this month.", he said, spitting out the name in disgust. "He is also bound by youkai laws. If he dares attack during this month, the reigning demon will hunt him down ruthlessly. No youkai will accept a hanyou to be an acceptable mate, making them fair game."

Sango looked at Inuyasha, her forehead scrunched up with concern.

"Then will _you_ not be in danger Inuyasha? After all, you too are a hanyou."

"Keh. Don't worry about me. I will be fine. I have my safe hiding place. I will go there like I always do when mating season comes around."

"Very well…" said Sango, her concern alleviated. Inuyasha has lived by himself a long time now. Of course he knew how to protect himself.

"But what about the Shikon shards!"

"The Shikon shards can wait Kagome." Said Sango patiently. "You should go back home for the duration of the mating season. You will be safe there. Miroku, Kilala and I will take shelter in my village." she added, thinking of the repairs she could make to her village in this down time. She did not notice the glint that shone in the hoshi's eyes at this pronouncement.

"Hey! What about me! I don't wanna go with the stupid mutt." whined Shippou.

"Why you little… " Inuyasha began, his eyebrow twitching at the kit's insolence.

The cowardly kitsune leapt onto Kagome's shoulder.

"Shippou, that wasn't very nice." scolded Kagome gently, petting the kit softly.

Sango and Miroku looked at each other, then at Inuyasha.

"Shippou can come with us I guess…" Sango said. "He is a very young youkai, so the mating season shouldn't affect him…"

"Hmf" was all Inuyasha said, which could mean anything from agreement with Sango's reasoning, to annoyance at the Shippou's behaviour or exasperation at Kagome's constant coddling of the kitsune child.

"Kagome, you should go home now, Kilala will take you to the well. I will come to get you when mating season is over alright."

"Okay…" said Kagome, a little deflated realizing that she wouldn't be able to bully the group into continuing the shard hunt for a while.

Kilala transformed into her larger form, took off once the group had said their goodbyes.

"We will see you soon Inuyasha… " said Miroku, a little drool escaping his mouth, already fantasizing what he could do with Sango spending a month alone in her company, albeit he would have liked it better if the kitsune had chosen to go with Inuyasha.

"Yes Inuyasha… stay safe…" added Sango.

Inuyasha looked at them with a cocky smile, waved an arm at them and then leaped off towards the clearing, where he had met his brother only the previous night.

"_Good thing they didn't ask me where I will be spending the next month. Keh… they would never believe me anyways."_

Inuyasha smiled grimly as his thoughts went back to his half-brother's missing limb.

"_I will not be an ungrateful guest or a freeloader Sesshomaru."_ He thought._ "I think I know just how I will pay for my brief stay. Now to gather all the ingredients before he arrives. I have about a day to complete preparations. Best hurry."_

Chuckling softly, Inuyasha slipped the cursed necklace off his neck.

**oOoOo**

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**Author's Note:**

Thank you people for the 1000+ hits!

**Again special thanks to my reviewers:** ryougabriellucile, InuSessyYaoiGirl, urbeautifulsunshine, Demitria Miriam, Princess Sin, FXL, RKInu241, jem89, thr3e, akilana, Tryst/Punishment of the Inu, SonnyGoten and Agni.

Hi again!

As you can see, this will be a pretty long fiction, probably about 28 to 31 chapters, depending on how I break the chapters. I will try to update every five to seven day. I just got a new part-time job, so that has kept me away from the computer for a bit.

**Your Support is greatly appreciated! Please continue reviewing!**

* * *


	4. 1,3 Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings: **Rated M, Inucest, YAOI

* * *

**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

"_Good thing they didn't ask me where I will be spending the next month. Keh… they would never believe me anyways."_

Inuyasha smiled grimly as his thoughts went back to his half-brother's missing limb.

"_I will not be an ungrateful guest or a freeloader Sesshomaru."_ He thought._ "I think I know just how I will pay for my brief stay. Now to gather all the ingredients before he arrives. I have about a day to complete preparations. Best hurry."_

Chuckling softly, Inuyasha slipped the cursed necklace off his neck.

**oOoOo**

* * *

**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 01 – Journey to the Palace of the West  
_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 3  
_**

_**

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**_

Ah-Un tossed both of his heads rapturously in the wind and released a sound that was a combination of a whinnying horse and a roaring dragon. Behind him in a silver-chased, amber chariot rode Lord Sesshomaru. The daiyoukai had already used up a day and a half, getting Rin settled into the home of a samurai lord, whose family had been loyal to the Inu-youkai clan for generations. He was now racing at breakneck speed to reach the clearing in time for his appointment.

The samurai lord, Lord Kengeki, had accepted the responsibility to care for the Daiyoukai's ningen ward for the duration of the mating season. Rin was unhappy to leave Sesshomaru, even if it was only for a short while, but the youkai lord had Rin trained well enough to accept orders without question, so the child relented. The child was ecstatic when she learned that she would be taught the basics of swordplay by the samurai lord. Rin was very fond of her guardian, and she frequently wished that she would be less of a burden and be better able to defend herself. She frequently mentioned the young boy, Kohaku, she met when she had been kidnapped by Naraku. The girl had been very impressed with Kohaku's mastery of the chain-scythe, and had repeatedly begged the youkai lord to provide her with a weapon so that she may be able to assist in battles as well. Rin was a very intelligent ningen for her seven years of age.

"_She will need to be trained in the ways of the ningen if she is to be an acceptable mate for a ningen lord. Lady Teiyoku will see to it…"_ reflected Sesshomaru.

The lord and lady of the samurai had been childless for their ten years of marriage and had been disappointed to learn that the daiyoukai would not permit them to adopt Rin as their own daughter, and raise her to be the heir. Sesshomaru had been pleased with the development, but decided to withhold his decision in letting the samurai couple to take over his charge permanently, until after the mating season.

"_Rin needs to be given enough time to decide if she would like them to be her new family."_

Sesshomaru smirked at the memory of the indignant squawk the kappa let out when Sesshomaru ordered Jaken to remain with Rin and the samurai tribe as her guardian, to see to it that the child was well treated. Of course, there was no danger of that happening as they samurai were honorable to a fault, and did not believe in spoiling their children. The daiyoukai tended to be overprotective of his ningen charge. Also, Sesshomaru did not want the kappa's flapping beak to jeopardize Inuyasha's initiation into adult youkai society.

"_It would not bode well to be belittled in pubic by an inferior being. Combined with Inuyasha's temper, the results may be disastrous…"_

Sesshomaru pulled back on the reins sharply, and the dragon-familiar amiably slowed down to a more decorous pace. Sesshomaru then guided the chariot downwards through the tall trees of the forest. Ah-Un, apparently having picked up his scent, knowing the purpose of the visit, began picking a path towards Inuyasha, who was waiting for them in the glade.

"_And not a moment too soon…"_ thought Sesshomaru, as the sun slipped away beyond the mountains as the chariot came to a stop before Inuyasha.

Inuyasha walked up to Sesshomaru, as the youkai was about to dismount.

"Don't get off Sesshomaru. I want us to get to the palace as quickly as possible. The moon will not wait for me." Inuyasha said curtly, not wasting any time on formalities as was him custom, leaping into the open chariot beside his half-brother.

Sesshomaru nodded in comprehension. It would be for the best if Inuyasha was safely within the walls of the castle before the transformation took place. Time was of the essence.

With a rap of the reins, Ah-Un once again took off, this time heading in towards the palace, without any directional prompts from the youkai lord. The dragon familiar was an intelligent creature, and seldom needed any instruction, making it a very valuable companion. Ah-Un was soul-bound to the royal inu-youkai clan much like the cat familiar, Kilala, was soul-bound to the ruling family of the Taijiya.

Sesshomaru sniffed discretely, and picked up the scent of a young kitsune-youkai and lavender bath oils on Inuyasha.

"_A female kitsune? Certainly not the fox kit that Inuyasha travels with, but then who?"_

Judging by the freshness and intensity of the scent on Inuyasha, Sesshomaru concluded that Inuyasha had only embraced the kitsune goodbye before Sesshomaru's arrival in the clearing. Also, there was no trace of unhappiness or any negative emotion in the scent, suggesting that the kitsune-youkai and the inu-hanyou were on good terms, but not sexually involved. For some reason, that thought made some of the tension in his shoulders ebb away.

Sesshomaru more felt than saw the inu-hanyou's eyes flick towards him suspiciously.

By the scent, Sesshomaru knew with complete certainty that the female kitsune was decidedly one belonging to the noble clans like those under Sesshomaru's rule and not a commoner fox like Inuyasha's companion, Shippou. The daiyoukai, however distinctly remembered that there was no other youkai was present for miles around the glade, and the kitsune scent was present only on Inuyasha himself, and nowhere else. He had detected this scent on Inuyasha on several other occasions, but he had never been able to track down the elusive fox. All of this had the daiyoukai very confused.

It was almost midnight before Sesshomaru let the reins go slack, and tied them to the chariot seat, confident in Ah-Un's abilities to guide them safely. Sesshomaru turned to look at his half-brother, and found reclining against the back of the chariot, face tipped upwards, peacefully staring at the crescent moon, moonlight bathing his tanned face and reflected in his deep amber eyes, his wavy dark silver hair splayed about him, rippling in the wind. Sesshomaru reigned in his awe at the sight of the creature before him. In all the time that he had known the hanyou, Sesshomaru had never seen him during the night. The boy had an uncanny ability to stay hidden when he did not want to be found. Reclusive by nature, Inuyasha preferred his solitude by night, limiting any interaction with other living creatures to daytime.

Sensing his lingering gaze, Inuyasha turned towards him with questioning eyes, before turning away with a smile, his eyes darkening with amusement.

"Like what you see, dear brother… ?" Inuyasha whispered, his voice so soft that it was barely heard above the wind, and held no trace of mockery in it, only genuine amusement.

Sesshomaru stared at his little brother a while longer, feeling that there was something different about Inuyasha, and finally he realized what it was.

"_The rosary… he no longer wears it… Has the miko freed him of her curse?"_

"I took it off." said Inuyasha, breaking into his thoughts.

The youkai lord realized that he had been staring at the boy's neck.

The reply had him puzzled which Inuyasha picked up on making the hanyou sigh.

Sesshomaru watched as Inuyasha reached down into his leather pouch that Inuyasha carried with him when traveling and retrieve the rosary. Sesshomaru then watched him put the rosary on and then take it back off.

"The rosary", Inuyasha explained, "is used by the ningen with spiritual power to subjugate a youkai to their will, by binding the saigen of the youkai and the reiryoku of the ningen to the beads. The rosary is then activated by using a key word that will send immense amounts of pain to the subjugated youkai, making them subservient to the ningen. The youkai also experiences excruciating pain when attempting to remove the necklace…"

Sesshomaru waited for Inuyasha to continue. Sesshomaru remembered his father's warnings regarding ningen gifts, especially in the form of jewellery. Many great youkai have fallen in the past due to their foolish pride, believing that there exists nothing that is truly able to subdue them. These youkai ultimately met their death at the hands of their subordinates, or those that were subdued by powerful ningen and their artifacts chose to commit suicide rather than to live a life of shame.

"_Or they were slain by their blood to alleviate the shame of possessing a blood relation to such a subjugated creature."_ He added in his mind.

In hind sight, he felt rather foolish of having not accounted for the fact that the presence of the rosary around Inuyasha's throat would have made him a legal target for execution without trial at the Gathering, that Sesshomaru, despite his rank would have been unable to prevent. Sesshomaru wondered at his reluctance to slay his half-brother on sight. He had convinced himself previously that it was because Inuyasha was a weak hanyou, hence not worthy of death by his hands, therefore left him alone for the most part. Later, after Inuyasha's awakening, he had been enraged when he saw the rosary around Inuyasha's neck for the first time. It led Sesshomaru to commit the one act that he loathed himself for committing even to this day. He had been pleased when the encounter led to the loss of his left arm.

"_A fair price to pay for dishonouring our father and his chosen mate."_

But after having lost to his arm to his little brother, he could no longer deny Inuyasha's true strength.

"_It was no small feat to deprive a daiyoukai of his limb with a newly acquired weapon that one has no practice wielding."_ He reflected.

And when the hanyou transformed into the blood thirsty parody of a demon, Sesshomaru felt driven to restore Inuyasha to his hanyou self instead of executing him. And he could not understand for the life of him, why he allowed his brother to hold on to the Tetsaiga, when it rightfully belonged in his hands… hand?.

Sesshomaru pulled himself forcefully from his reflections to see Inuyasha staring at him with a half annoyed, half amused look.

"You weren't listening, were you?" said Inuyasha dryly, his chest shaking with suppressed laughter. "Don't worry about it. I'll repeat myself…" Inuyasha said generously.

Sesshomaru nodded meekly, blushing faintly for his lack of attention, not trusting his own voice for the first time in his life.

He was incredibly grateful that in the final phases of the moon, the slight colouring of his face will not be noticeable.

**oOoOo**

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**Author's Note:**

**Special thanks to my reviewers: **petpeeves12, A Lost Child From Heaven, ryougabriellucile, twilight-abyss, RKInu241, fluffys-sidekick, yllom21, thr3e, The Great Susinko, SonnyGoten, sesshomarunaraku, Princess Sin, akilana and Malimillions.

Hi Again!

Hmmm… turns out this fic will be even longer than I originally planned as I am fleshing it out. This is my longest chapter yet. Everyone, I have made some minor revisions to all the chapter, which mostly involves weeding out grammar mistakes. Also, in the last chapter, I gave Miroku and Sango a little more definition, as some people pointed out that they did not get a clear sense of them.

I am happy to see that you guys are picking up on the hints of upcoming events, (like Sesshomaru getting back his arm! Good guess **ryougabriellucile **and **SonnyGoten**!).

Also, there have been requests that I have Shippou travel with Inuyasha. Sorry to disappoint, but Shippo will not be going to the Palace. He does play a major part later on in the story, so keep looking!

Also, I very much try to keep my characters in character (Except my Inuyasha much smarter). I would be grateful if people would point out to me if they go Out Of Character. (Thank you **twilight-abyss**).

And guys, I apologize for the minor cliff-hanger in the last chapter. The story does have a mystery element. I promise, all will be explained soon.

Guys thanks for the reviews again! They help a lot!

**Please continue reviewing!**


	5. 1,4 Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings: **Rated M, Inucest, YAOI

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**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

"You weren't listening, were you?" said Inuyasha dryly, his chest shaking with suppressed laughter. "Don't worry about it. I'll repeat myself…" Inuyasha said generously.

Sesshomaru nodded meekly, blushing faintly for his lack of attention, not trusting his own voice for the first time in his life.

He was incredibly grateful that in the final phases of the moon, the slight colouring of his face will not be noticeable.

**oOoOo**

* * *

**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 01 – Journey to the Palace of the West  
_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 4  
_**

_**

* * *

**_

Inuyasha noticed Sesshomaru's colouration, but refrained from commenting on it. His half-brother was being incredibly agreeable since they had first met in the clearing a few nights back. For what he wanted to do, he needed the daiyoukai's full co-operation, and angering the inu-youkai would not be beneficial.

Still, he could not help but feel sad that his half-brother thought so little of him as to ignore his words in favour of his own musing. Inuyasha gave his head a little shake to clear away those unwanted feelings. His coming mortal night was making him over-emotional.

A youkai's power levels are not constant through the moon cycle. Like the water tide, a youkai's saigen is at its peak during the full moon and lowest during the new moon. The worst affected by these swings in saigen levels are the youkai with canine heritage. As a result, Inuyasha's emotions tended to get out of hand with the approach of the new moon, as his saigen withdrew from his blood, leaving behind only his reiryoku, making him susceptible to the volatile ningen emotions. Inuyasha hated spending his mortal nights with his travel companions, locking himself up in whatever shelter was available, preferring his solitude.

"Sesshomaru, the beads are bound to my saigen by Kagome's reiryoku." Inuyasha looked up into the metallic gold eyes, making certain that he had the youkai's attention and understanding.

"Continue…" Sesshomaru said quietly with a nod.

Inuyasha nodded back with a smile and drew himself up, as he gathered his thoughts.

"Well… you see…" Inuyasha said awkwardly. "During my mortal night, my saigen is locked away in my blood, breaking my connection with the necklace. That was the first time I was able to take the rosary off my neck."

Inuyasha watched as a myriad of thoughts flitted within the inhuman golden eyes.

"Then you are no longer bound to the miko's will." Sesshomaru stated impassively. He regally inclined his head to the right. "Why then do you continue to wear the rosary, Inuyasha?"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he watched Inuyasha turn to look away from him, down at the frothy clouds they were flying over. Inuyasha was shivering from the chill of the night air, Sesshomaru observed. When the inu-hanyou turned back to him, there was a bitter smile on his face.

"On that night, Sesshomaru, I realized something important..."

The hanyou once again held his gaze, nodding ever so slightly, as if pleased with his attentiveness, although his eyes were a little glazed over as if submerged in his own thoughts.

"_I need these humans, Sesshomaru_. They are each powerful in their own way. And each and every one of them are dedicated to the task of exterminating the filth that is Naraku from this world.

"Sango with her taijiya abilities and her partner in battle Kilala... Her entire family was destroyed by Naraku, and now he has her little brother captive, kept alive by a shard from the Shikon jewel. Her abilities include expert knowledge of demons and their weaknesses, the use of her Hiraikotsu, dagger gauntlet, Katana, chain-whip and paralyzing poisons. She fights to avenge her clan, and rescue her brother who has no memories of his own…

"Miroku with his Kazaana curse and holy powers... He is trained in sensing and exterminating youkai in the spiritual sense as Sango is in the physical. His knowledge of reiryoku manipulation is sadly limited, but flawless. For limited periods of time, Miroku is able to match my speed, erect force-field barriers, attain invisibility and use spell scrolls using his reiryoku. He also possesses the holy staff, Shakujo, legendary for its lethality towards demons. Miroku needs to destroy Naraku, if he is to ever be able to live a normal life and sire children of his own.

"And Kagome with her spiritual powers…" Inuyasha's face twisted into a scowl at the girl's name.

"She is able to sense and locate the jewel shards…" Sesshomaru hazarded.

Inuyasha nodded in affirmative. "Yes, that is her task, but Kagome… she is from another world… Sesshomaru, _and that makes all the difference_…

"In the beginning, her motivation for finding the jewel shards had been petty at best. It was because of her that the jewel was shattered and hence it is her duty to gather the shards and the jewel whole once more. As time went by, Kagome grew more and more outraged at Naraku's cruelty. The girl wants to be useful, and wants to help her newly acquired friends in their pursuit for revenge and liberation.

"So much more romantic than doing her chores at home isn't it, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha said, chuckling darkly.

"What does this have to do with the rosary, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru asked, his already poor opinion of the fledging miko, rapidly taking a nosedive into a dark abyss.

"_Power_ Sesshomaru… _Power_…" Inuyasha whispered darkly, looking away once more.

"Kagome's abilities include her spontaneous saigen nullification ability that she uses to purify the jewel shards and disperse miasmas, her ability to bypass most barriers, spells and illusions and being able to detect and see extremely high levels of reiryoku, like that of the Shikon no Tama. She can also use a bow and arrows, and will succeed in hitting her target if the target is at least the size of a hippo and obliges by staying in one place for at least five seconds at a time so that she could take aim.

Inuyasha snorted.

"She is my shard detector, Sesshomaru. And that is all she is to me. I am not blind Sesshomaru. Kagome is a lazy, naïve and well meaning fool and I am well aware of that. She does not train to hone her abilities, relying on the thrill of battle to heighten her senses and sharpen her focus. Being a creature from another world, Kagome has no need to stay in our world, and help us with our hunt. She stays because she is afraid that if she tries to escape without completing the Shikon jewel, I would follow her through the well and drag her back kicking and screaming back to our world.

"The rosary is now only very loosely bound to Kagome's will, and the chains connecting us will snap at the slightest rebellion from my reiryoku. The necklace gives her the illusion of control over me and she is drunk on this power. So long as I wear the rosary, Kagome feels secure. She continues to believe that she helps us from the goodness of her own heart. She continues to believe that her childish infatuation for me is true love."

"Kagome… she is Kikyo's double from her realm." Inuyasha said, mournfully shaking is head. "She has the potential to be incredibly powerful, but she isn't. They are nothing alike, save a passing similarity in their looks."

Sesshomaru reached out with his left arm, gently taking hold of Inuyasha's chin bringing him back towards facing him.

Inuyasha's eyes widened at the touch, and looked at Sesshomaru with a question in his eyes.

"Do you love her… this Kikyo?" he asked softly, brushing back a lock of Inuyasha's hair back behind his ear. The attraction from earlier had not faded away, and Sesshomaru was feeling a growing desire to be closer to the hanyou.

"Hmm… oh… " murmured Inuyasha, the question taking some time to register in his mind, the daiyoukai's slightest touch sending his mind into a hazy confusion, colour rising across the bridge of his nose. This close to mating season, Inuyasha could smell the beginnings of Sesshomaru's heat scent and was alarmed to note how light headed it made him feel. Inuyasha drew away a bit, but was closely followed by the pale youkai to the edge of the chariot seat.

"Do I love Kikyo?" Inuyasha whispered, smiling softly. "I think… yes… I loved her before she pinned me to the God-tree. But I don't think I was in love with her ever, Sesshomaru… She would have made… an acceptable mate. I enjoyed her company. But… she was only a friend… a very good friend. It was an unspoken agreement between us that… I would… ask her to marry me once I used the jewel… to completely exorcise the saigen from my blood, making me a ningen." Inuyasha's voice then hardened with resolve, "For the tarnished memory of our short time together… _I will destroy Naraku_."

Inuyasha sensed Sesshomaru wrap his tail around Inuyasha, pulling him closer to the youkai, their noses almost touching.

"Do you still wish to be a ningen, Inuyasha? Or do you now seek to be a true youkai?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice deadly soft, lust darkening his eyes as he tipped Inuyasha's face towards the moonlight, studying his fine boned features.

"Hmm…?" Inuyasha murmured, suddenly finding his eyelids heavy to keep open, not noticing Sesshomaru's clouded eyes in his sleep-hazed confusion. "No Sesshomaru… I don't want… to become a ningen… or a youkai…" his frame shuddered at the memory of the first time he turned into a youkai, and nearly ended up massacring a village. He tried to turn away, but found himself unable to do so with Sesshomaru's restraining hand on his cheek. "I am at peace with myself… as a hanyou…"

As Inuyasha's eyes slid shut and he felt Sesshomaru's lips glide over his lips in a soft kiss. He opened his eyes in shock, and tried to push the daiyoukai away, but his limbs refused to comply. He looked down at the hand that had been gently stroking his cheek and only now noticed the pale green fumes surrounding it as Sesshomaru brought his head down to rest against the daiyoukai's chest.

"Sleep well Inuyasha… " Sesshomaru murmured against his lips, gazing into the sleep-hazed eyes, tightening his coiled tail around both of them, and bringing them chest to chest. "I will awaken you when we arrive at the stables outside Kiri no Shouheki. _I will keep you warm Ototo… go to sleep…_"

**oOoOo**

  


* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Special thanks to my reviewers: **Sesshygirl, FXL, ryougabriellucile, akilana, The Great Susinko, petpeeves12, RKInu241, thr3e, darkangel36, A Lost Child From Heaven and fluffys-sidekick.

To every one who is wondering about the Kitsune scent on Inuyasha **(RKInu241)**, all will be revealed soon. Please be patent.

And to everyone who doesn't like a smart Inuyasha (**thr3e**, your review had me smiling at the computer screen – thankfully I was all alone…), my sincere apologies. The anime Inuyasha does act pretty dumb, and that doesn't make any sense to me. Just how does a hanyou that everyone wants to destroy on sight survive for over 150 years being stupid. I'm pretty sure he didn't start out all powerful, and he isn't fast enough to outrun all demons. In my story, I'll be trying to cover the loopholes in the anime plotline. But guys, if you don't like something, please do point out. I'll either change it to make it more palatable, or explain the reason for the plot change.

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**Please continue reviewing!**

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	6. 1,5 Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings: **Rated M, Inucest, YAOI

* * *

**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

Sesshomaru strengthened the intensity of the odourless fumes being released from his Doukasou, sending the hanyou into poison induced slumber ending Inuyasha's futile struggles. The daiyoukai purred softly as he breathed in his half-brother's unique scent that was like the air after rainfall in spring.

"Inuyasha…" Sesshomaru murmured huskily, pressing his face into the dark silver mane, breathing in deeply the scent of the creature he had sworn to kill so many times and let live just as often, "What is this you do to me?"

**oOoOo**

* * *

**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 01 – Journey to the Palace of the West  
_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 5  
_**

_**

* * *

**_

Sesshomaru ran his fingers through the thick mass of wavy dark silver hair, as he held the hanyou close to himself and petted the triangular appendages on top of his head. He chuckled softly when the hanyou snuggled further into the crook of his shoulder.

Inuyasha had always been reclusive in nature, and even as a child the boy seldom allowed himself to be touched by anyone except his mother. Sesshomaru seriously doubted given their recent history together, Inuyasha would permit such open fondling and curiosity from his youkai sibling; hence he put him to sleep.

The daiyoukai remembered when he first spoke to the hanyou face to face when the boy had been eight years old. For more than two weeks prior, Sesshomaru had taken to stalking the hanyou boy as he went about his daily activities about the village and had been startled when Inuyasha took note of his presence immediately despite the lengths he had gone to disguise his scent and aura. Strangely enough, his ningen mother had also noticed him just as quickly. She had merely observed him for a while, then cast a nod in greeting towards him and then went on her way.

Sesshomaru had always preferred to not acknowledge Izayoi's existence for the short period of time she had been mated to his father, and Izayoi readily returned the favour. Strangely enough, neither mother nor child discussed his presence with each other during his visit, nor did they attempt to find out the reason for his presence.

From the cover of the tall trees in the forest, he watched Inuyasha as he played with a red ball near a koi pond. The boy had been so lonely and sad, but proudly continued playing with his ball by himself, pretending to not notice the scent of the ningen spiking with fear, disgust or both when they caught sight of him, or hear the frightened whispers when he passed by, or notice the barely concealed venom in the voices of everyone who addressed him. Also, the boy was intelligent enough to not associate with those who sought his favour, intending to use his demonic powers to further their own needs, be it carnal or material. If and when overt acts of violence were committed towards him or his mother, Inuyasha would lash out with his fiery temper, claws and his acid tongue and saw to it that the offender was either dead or reduced to a pitiable quivering mass that could only utter nonsensical words. In short, he was a beautiful and quiet child, unless provoked, that did not seek attention from the villagers that so despised him, but continued to live among them if only to be near his mother.

When Inuyasha's ball had rolled away from him into the forest, Sesshomaru took the opportunity to growl deeply within his throat, indicating a summoning, commanding Inuyasha to come to him. Inuyasha's triangular ears perked up at the sound, and he discretely growled low in his throat in submission, allowing his ball to "accidentally" roll off into the forest towards Sesshomaru's location.

The daiyoukai was not surprised at the degree of caution the child was exhibiting. In his short life, he had already come to the realization that he would always be watched, and there would always be someone who would attempt to take advantage of any lapse in judgement or behaviour of his, regardless of his innocence. Once safely within the cover of the trees, Inuyasha picked up his ball, and leapt high into the trees, leaving no trail behind on the ground for the villagers to follow. He landed gracefully on the ground before the daiyoukai, a respectful distance away, and sat down across from the youkai when indicated to do so.

Sesshomaru nodded in approval as the boy waited for him to begin the conversation. Inuyasha's frame exhibited no fear of the daiyoukai, nor any expectation of any kind, but merely an understanding that he was required to be sit still and wait patiently as the youkai before him observed him. Considering the magnitude of energy the boy displayed as he leapt through the village, playing his little games all day long until his mother called him to bed, this was truly an incredible feat. The ningen princess had trained her son well.

"I am Sesshomaru, the youkai Lord of the Western Lands, first born son of the former Inu no Taisho, Lord Renshoumaru and his first mate, Lady Suzuran of the Dokusou clan." Sesshomaru introduced himself formally.

Inuyasha nodded, showing no surprise at introduction or formality, but answered in the like.

"I am Inuyasha, second born son of the daiyoukai, Lord Renshoumaru and only child of the ningen hime of Setsuna, Lady Izayoi, his second mate."

Sesshomaru nodded at the introduction, realizing that Izayoi-hime must have already informed him of his origins, and gave the hanyou sufficient warning to not expect any kind of favour from the daiyoukai. The ningen hime and the hanyou must have been expecting his visit Sesshomaru concluded by the lack of surprise displayed by the mother and child.

He was amused to note the look of resignation in the hanyou's eyes as he studied the daiyoukai's claws. Did Inuyasha expect to be struck down on the spot by the mighty youkai?

"You are of part of the royal clan of this land Inuyasha, be proud of you youkai heritage". Sesshomaru fought the urge to strangle the boy when his furry ears swivelled towards him to listen better. The ears were a constant reminder of the boy's mixed heritage.

"Every year from now on, we will meet in this glade a week before mating season, and you will recount to me your accomplishments for the year. You will train hard and become powerful if you wish to survive. That will be your goal in Life. And when you have become strong enough… then I will kill you."

The child's eyes widened at the last part, but he kept silent from shock.

"Your identity will be kept a secret from both youkai and human to safeguard you from those seeking to acquire the power of the Western Lands." Inuyasha looked a little puzzled at this point but did not interrupt the youkai lord. The boy will probably ask his mother for explanations. Being a princess, the lady will be able to explain.

"For as long as you mother lives, you will reside in this village Inuyasha, and when she dies, all the ningen of this village and any others you may have come in contact with will be exterminated, destroying all evidence of your existence and all those who possess the knowledge of your heritage."

Inuyasha nodded to this, showing no emotion or pity towards the villagers who his half-brother spoke so casually of massacring. Not surprising really considering their constant harassment of the boy. Due to his youkai heritage, Inuyasha had difficulty establishing bonds with ningen with their flighty emotions; hence he would not mourn their death.

"Live Inuyasha, and fight. Let no ningen into your tainted heart, because there will be no one who can love an abomination such as you. Live for two hundred years, and then I will take you to the Palace of the West. I will introduce you to the reigning youkai at the annual Gathering and then find you a suitable alliance."

Again confusion flitted across Inuyasha's delicate features. Sesshomaru chose not to elaborate. The lady Izayoi was suitably well informed of demon mating customs as she herself was mated to a youkai.

Sesshomaru rose to his feet and began walking away from the glade.

"Be here by sunrise Inuyasha, a week before mating season in a year. Until then train the saigen in your diluted blood. I will see you then."

With that Sesshomaru took his leave. He looked back to see the young hanyou still sitting in the clearing clutching at his heart, surprised that he was still alive.

In the chariot, Sesshomaru continued to pet, nibble and kiss the delectable hanyou sleeping in his arms. So much had changed since then. The boy had become a true beauty with a wild yet refined spirit, enchanting the youkai lord as no one has ever had before. His natural scent was almost impossible to track given that Inuyasha preferred to travel through forests, the leaves disguising his scent completely. His saigen had also grown to impossible levels being almost on par with his elder brother, but kept closely coiled tightly his body to prevent detection by the holy ningen or other youkai giving the impression of a weak youkai. Izayoi-hime had apparently trained the boy to harness his reiryoku with such finesse that no one, not even the holy ningen suspected its existence. His mother's teachings remained with him, but he no longer afforded any politesse to those who openly scorned him, and kept his words to a minimum with all others. He had lost his awe of his elder sibling, and instigated fights with the youkai at every encounter, somehow giving the false impression to any audience that it was actually Sesshomaru who had come hunting for his half-brother. He hid behind a mask of uncouthness, and pretended to be dense, making his opponents underestimate him. Had Sesshomaru not known him since his childhood, he would have never seen through the multiple masks.

With his mother's death, Inuyasha became cold and aloof, seldom remaining in the same region for more than a week. Also, he would mysteriously disappear every time mating season came around. When the youkai lord questioned him about his whereabouts during mating season, the hanyou would go strangely silent and refuse to answer, afraid to reveal anything even accidentally. The daiyoukai would search high and low with his link to the Western Lands, but no where would the hanyou be found.

_It was almost as if the boy was no longer in this realm…_

**oOoOo **

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**Author's Note:**

**Special thanks to my reviewers: **FXL, RKInu241, Tryst, IvyLady, thr3e, Demitria Miriam, petpeeves12 and A Lost Child From Heaven.

**A VERY SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS TO "The Great Susinko"**. I really appreciate it that you liked my story so far, and decided to email me a review since the site wasn't allowing you to post a review the usual way. Your feedback means a lot to me. THANK YOU! I am posting your review below.

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oOo The Great Susinko's Review oOo

For some reason, keeps telling me that I already reviewed chapter 5 of your story "Hidden in Plain Sight", which I haven't. Since I really wanted to review, I am sending it to you this way!

In regards to your author's note, I personally love how you are portraying things in this story. I love how you are closing all the loop holes in the story that you mentioned. I for one always wondered about where all the youkai went in Kagome's future. They couldn't have ALL been killed off in a mere 500 years. People SHOULD remember such creatures for a LONG time to come. That they have no memory makes no sense. The

alternate realities thing makes sense. (If I have said this before, I apologize).

You make some interesting observations about Kagome. She doesn't practice her powers OR her weapon. I have always thought that Kagome was drunk on her power to hurt Inuyasha with the rosary. I have never thought that it was right or fair. Can you imagine what Inuyasha would do if Kagome wore the rosary instead? cackles insainly

I look forward to your next update!

oOo Review End oOo

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A lot of you have been wondering why Sesshomaru out Inuyasha to sleep. Hopefully this chapter will clear any confusion. Please note again… I have made some major changes to the previous chapter, so please do go back and reread. **(Sefadora Firewood, hope this answers you question)**

Glad too know some of you agree with my observations on Kagome! **(Thank you A Lost Child From Heaven and IvyLady!)**

I'm also glad you guys like that I am keeping Inuyasha a hanyou. **(thr3e , your reviews are always interesting to read. :D)**

Guys you feedback let me know if my story is actually worth publishing. Please let me know if you enjoy the story, or if the story is getting too clichéd.

**Please read and review!**

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	7. 1,6 Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings: **Rated M, Inucest, YAOI

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**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

With his mother's death, Inuyasha became cold and aloof, seldom remaining in the same region for more than a week. Also, he would mysteriously disappear every time mating season came around. When the youkai lord questioned him about his whereabouts during mating season, the hanyou would go strangely silent and refuse to answer, afraid to reveal anything even accidentally. The daiyoukai would search high and low with his link to the Western Lands, but no where would the hanyou be found.

_It was almost as if the boy was no longer in this realm…_

**oOoOo**

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**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 01 – Journey to the Palace of the West  
_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 6  
_**

_**

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**_

Inuyasha shook his head, getting rid of the last vestiges of sleep, and judging by the rapidly brightening sky visible outside the window, it was almost sunrise.

"_Window? ... "_

Inuyasha sat up quickly, and looked around, finding himself on the couch inside the living room of what seemed like part of a mansion

"_-or more like a guest house"_, Inuyasha decided because of the presence of many varieties of saigen.

"_Where am I?"_

Inuyasha took a few tentative sniffs, and noted his half-brothers scent.

"Quite recent… He must have stepped out for a bit…" Inuyasha murmured to himself.

"I see you are awake, Inuyasha." came a familiar voice from the doorway.

Inuyasha swivelled his head to look at his daiyoukai sibling as he came sauntering through the door. He remembered the events of the previous night and the accompanying goodnight kiss and turned his head away as a blush lit up his face.

"_Or was it last night? Could have been longer…"_ Inuyasha wondered.

"How long have I been out?" Inuyasha asked aloud, a bit of anger leaking into his voice at being forcefully put to sleep like a child. He knew his brother was a control freak, but this was really going overboard.

"You slept through most of the last two days, Inuyasha, attempting to awaken a few times in between. Tonight will be the night of the new moon." said Sesshomaru blandly, clearly unaffected by Inuyasha's ire.

Inuyasha growled softly in his throat.

"_The bastard."_ Inuyasha thought. _"How am I supposed to discuss anything with him if he keeps pulling stunts like this."_

Inuyasha picked up the scent of blood, and looked at the tray Sesshomaru was carrying and now placed on the table before the hanyou.

"Breakfast." The youkai stated simply.

Inuyasha studied the meal before him that consisted of two baby rabbits and two ptarmigan chicks, cleaned, de-boned and slivered.

"_Fresh kills… "_ Inuyasha noted.

Inuyasha felt his ire at Sesshomaru melting away, feeling rather touched by the youkai's show of goodwill. He tossed a grateful nod towards the youkai, and began eating the meat, taking a sip from the fruity refreshing drink accompanying the meal.

Inuyasha knew that generally a youkai lord's underlings were required to bring in a set number of deer or other large ruminant would be brought in and prepared for the youkai lord's guests. These animals would typically be past their prime, thereby guaranteeing that the killing of these animals would not affect the herd's fertility, hence ensuring the preservation of the herds in the forest.

However, in the meal before him, there was no scent of the kitsune youkai from Sesshomaru's staff, but only the inu-youkai's scent, indicating that the hunting and preparation of the meal had been done by the daiyoukai exclusively.

It was not everyday that a youkai lord would lower himself to hunting fledgling creatures simply to provide a hanyou with a delicacy. Under the circumstances, Inuyasha found it difficult to remain angry with his half-brother.

Sesshomaru nodded approvingly as Inuyasha began to eat the meat using the provided chopsticks at a sedate pace. There was no one around, except for the daiyoukai, and the hanyou did not feel the need to pretend to have no table manners as he would do usually, shovelling his food into his mouth as if it would run away from him any second.

"Ne, Aniki…" Inuyasha murmured between bites looking at his half-brother who had seated himself across from the hanyou.

"Hmm…?" Sesshomaru responded.

"Where are we? Will we be at the palace by nightfall?" Inuyasha asked, voicing his concerns. He watched as the daiyoukai carefully leaned forward, retrieving a sliver of ptarmigan flesh with his claws, and popping it into his mouth.

"It will take a mere two hours walking to reach the palace from this point, Otouto. Do not worry; we will be there well before your transformation takes place, and the mating season begins officially." Sesshomaru murmured back comfortably.

Inuyasha realized that since they had met, Sesshomaru and him had been conversing entirely in whispers and murmurs. _Not_ because there was any danger of being overheard, but simply because with their sharp hearing, speaking any louder was unnecessary.

Inuyasha was beginning to enjoy the youkai's smooth baritone. It was a welcome change from the squeaks and shrieks his sensitive ears had lately been subjected to on a daily basis.

"We are currently at the way-station on the North border outside the mist barrier, Inuyasha. Outside the gates of the station are the palace stables. I have left Ah-Un and the chariot in the stable-master's capable hands."

Inuyasha nodded. He had briefly wondered what had happened to the dragon-familiar.

"I thought we are inside a mansion." Inuyasha said thoughtfully.

"You are correct Inuyasha. The way-station is a complex mansion with living accommodations for as many as a hundred youkai families. And should it happen that we have fallen short of rooms, there is another estate on the East border which is a smaller replica of this estate. Together, the estate is formally known as the Shiyuuchi."

Inuyasha started in surprise.

"Why would you want to house that many youkai families at a simple rest stop? How could you possibly fall short of space? Do people actually live here?"

Sesshomaru's eyes shone amusement at the hanyou's flurry of questions.

"The estate staff and their families do live here on a permanent basis, Lord Inuyasha." came a voice from the doorway.

The inu siblings turned to face an aged female golden kitsune youkai. She did not appear any older than twenty five year old ningen on the outside, due to the eternal youth of youkai, but her eyes spoke of wisdom that can only be earned through experience. There was a certain glint in her cerulean eyes that made Inuyasha a trifle uncomfortable.

"This is Lady Kyoushou Inuyasha. She tends to the needs of the royal inu clan of the Western Lands, and cares for the way-stations, guest and staff. She reports directly to me and the golden kitsune alpha pair for any requests, disputes or changes to be made to the estates or otherwise."

Inuyasha inclined his head towards the kitsune politely, aware that he ranked far higher than the youkai.

Lady Kyoushou respectfully bowed low before the inu-hanyou as befitted Inuyasha's station.

"It is an honour to welcome the younger son of the Inu no Taisho amongst us at Shiyuuchi. It is our fervent hope that you will enjoy your stay at Koukyo." She said using the formal name for the imperial palace.

Inuyasha started, and turned to the daiyoukai with questioning eyes.

"As you yourself have said Inuyasha; the ruling youkai have been expecting your arrival at the Gathering. You have earned a lot of notoriety as the Halfling Protector of the Western Lands in your quest to defeat Naraku and your victories against several high level youkai. My staff is carefully chosen, Inuyasha. They are all willing to accept you as the prince and heir apparent of the Western Lands for the time before I sire an heir."

Inuyasha grew thoughtful as he mulled over this discovery. He had lived through a lot, and knew better than to expect instant acceptance from the palace youkai despite Sesshomaru's reassurance. What Sesshomaru had not said, but implied was that the ruling youkai had a divided opinion regarding the hanyou. While they had agreed to admitting a hanyou child to the circle of ruling youkai should he reach adulthood, it was also true that they had not truly expected such a child to live for so long, or even ever be powerful. There were those amongst the youkai who saw in him a creature worthy of admiration, hence suitable mate material, and those who saw him as a threat to the purity of youkai blood, or as a source of insubordination from lesser youkai and ningen.

"_and there are those who see me only as a possible alliance. Mate me off to a barren female, and I will never sire pups, ensuring that my bloodline is terminated, and gaining a powerful alliance with the Western Lands at the same time."_ Inuyasha thought sardonically.

Inuyasha's head snapped back when the daiyoukai continued, "Although the mating season starts with the setting of the sun on the night of the new moon, the visiting youkai attending the Gathering arrive a few days later. They are housed here in this estate until the morning of the waxing half-moon. At noon, the members of the royal clan of the Western Lands will then escort the visitors through the mist, and into the palace."

Inuyasha nodded thoughtfully.

"So this mist barrier is a security measure? It makes certain that no one without your express permission can enter or leave the palace, right?"

"Precisely so." Sesshomaru concurred. "I am aware of the identity of every youkai that resides within the palace and the palace grounds, as will you soon. The palace of the West is the most secure place in the entire continent, and none may enter or leave without my knowledge. For this reason, and the fact that the Western Lands are the most fertile of the four nations, the annual Gathering has always been held at Koukyo." Sesshomaru looked back into the hanyou's eyes squarely and said, "As is tradition, you Inuyasha, as a member of the royal clan of the West will be shown the path that leads through the barrier. When the time comes, you will be here with me, escorting our guests to the palace."

Inuyasha nodded quietly, squirming under the uncompromising gaze.

He had been hoping that Sesshomaru would not have him play the host with the visiting youkai, but there seemed to be no way out of it. Sesshomaru was apparently set on presenting his Halfling brother with full pomp at the initiation ceremony, regardless of the reactions he may get from his guests.

Inuyasha looked back and paid attention as Lady Kyoushou began speaking again.

"My Lord Inuyasha, a bath and several set of clothes has been prepared for you in the bathing house you will find on the left at the end of the hallway outside. It is the lord's request that you clean yourself and make a selection of clothing pertaining to your taste before you trek towards the palace to make the best possible impression upon your arrival."

Inuyasha nodded in acquiesce, agreeing with the logic.

"Inuyasha, be prepared within the hour. Meanwhile, I will speak with Lady Kyoushou to ensure that Shiyuuchi is ready to accept our guests. You and I will speak in private during our trek. I sense there is much you wish to discuss with me, and you will have your chance then."

Saying these words, Sesshomaru rose from the couch, and left, followed by Lady Kyoushou.

As Inuyasha finished the last of his meal, and swallowed the drink, he blushed scarlet as realization hit him.

His entire being was covered in Sesshomaru's scent, laced with arousal.

"_Well…" Inuyasha thought numbly, "That explains the speculative look."_

Inuyasha got up hurriedly, and made his way to the bathing house, glad to encounter none of the estate staff as he was unable to will the flush off his face.

**oOoOo **

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**Author's Note:**

**Special thanks to my reviewers: **BS, urbeautifulsunshine, fluffys-sidekick, petpeeves12, Onyxlight, Russanya, darkangel36, Tryst/Punishment of the Inu, pixy, RKInu241, War-chan, thr3e, Demitria Miriam, IvyLady and Ice Demon Allysandra.

I'm glad you guys like my portrayal of Kagome! I know there are many Kagome fans out there. As it happens I am not a Kagome fan although I do like Kikyo a bit. Hope this doesn't offend anyone! **(Thanks BS, urbeautifulsunshine, Onyxlight)**

Also, I'm glad you guys like my portrayal of Sesshomaru. **(Thanks urbeautifulsunshine)**

The fic will have several flashbacks as I continue with the story. Hopefully there will not be any confusion, as I do not like using bars to mark off flashbacks. I prefer integrating them into **my story. (Glad you enjoyed the flashback petpeeves12)**

**Russanya:**  
Thank you sooooo much. I was wondering if my "smart" Inuyasha was becoming a little hard to take in. Glad to see the plotline is working! And I don't do threesomes. Sorry! Definitely InuSess! Count on it!

**Tryst/Punishment of the Inu:**  
Thanks! I really appreciate your advice. Its alright though, I have the entire fic written out in a bullet format timeline, so there isn't any danger of writers block. I do however make changes as I go along to the plotline as reviewers make their requests. You will find out where Inuyasha disappears within the next three chapters if all goes well.

**RKInu241:**  
Thanks for the heads-up. I haven't made the correction yet, but that bit got truncated from the bottom of the previous chapter, so it wasn't really a recap. Sorry for the confusion!

**War-chan:**  
LOL! Still not certain who is gonna be dominant, but I'm with you. I rather like the idea of a submissive Sesshomaru under certain circumstances. Tehe. As for lemons? I haven't decided yet if I will be including any. There will however be some very heavy insinuations. And as I said before: don't worry! This is definitely an Inusess fic.

**thr3e:**  
As always love your reviews. I do hope you are enjoying the fics, as opposed to them simply attracting your interest! Thanks for the translation correction! I never knew Yasha meant forest spirit. The name makes more sense now. Changes made!

**Demitria Miriam:**  
LOL! You'll find out where Inuyasha disappears to soon enough! Keep reading and reviewing!

**IvyLady:**  
I always love reading your reviews! They are so insightful. I'm glad you liked my flashback attempt and interpretations of the characters. As for your question, I meant that Sesshomaru will kill Inuyasha when he deems Inuyasha to be a worthy opponent. It may be before or after his 200th year. But when he is 200, he will be mate material, so Sesshomaru will help him find a mate as is his responsibility. You make very good guesses as to where Inuyasha may be going during mating season, but you will have to keep reading to find out!

**oOoOo**

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_**To all my readers:**_

Everyone, I apologize for the delayed update. It is exam time, and I have been busy. But now I'm back!

I am sure that everyone has noticed that I give places their literal name in Japanese, like the mist barrier, estate and the imperial palace. I hope you don't mind my naming conventions! I would rather not have to hunt for cool names, which may turn out to be clichéd in the end!

**Anyways, that's all for today! Keep reading and reviewing!**

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	8. 1,7 Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings: **Rated M, Inucest, YAOI

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**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

Saying these words, Sesshomaru rose from the couch, and left followed by Lady Kyoushou.

As Inuyasha finished the last of his meal, and swallowed the drink, he blushed scarlet as realization hit him.

His entire being was covered in Sesshomaru's scent, laced with arousal.

"_Well…" Inuyasha thought numbly, "That explains the speculative look."_

Inuyasha got up hurriedly, and made his way to the bathing house, glad to encounter none of the estate staff as he was unable to will the flush off his face.

**oOoOo**

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**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 01 – Journey to the Palace of the West  
_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 7  
_**

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__

Sesshoumaru smirked as he watched his little brother struggle with his hair before the mirror from the doorway.

He had just returned from his inspection of the estate with Lady Kyoushou, and as he had expected everything was in order. The way-station was fully supplied to the point where only perishable goods needed to be imported. Otherwise, Shiyuuchi would serve well as an exceptionally comfortable fortress till end of summer.

He studied the kitsune from the corner of his eyes as she gave him an oral report regarding any changes that had taken place since his last visit.

In every demonic nation, there are three classes of ruling youkai, namely the royals, the warriors and the nobles, ranking in that order with royalty being the highest. In the Western Lands, the royals were the silver inu-youkai clan, the warriors being the brown ookami-youkai clan and the nobility were the golden kitsune clan.

Lady Kyoushou was a member of the golden kitsune tribe, with their ability to transform between golden foxes, the largest of which came up to Sesshomaru's knees at the maximum and their elfin form with long pointed ears. Kyoushou is the younger sister to the alpha male of her tribe, lord Kyoushin; both siblings had been amongst the former Inu no Taisho's most trusted subordinates.

Sesshoumaru had been pleased to see the lady's obvious approval of Inuyasha. The daiyoukai himself had been proud of how well Inuyasha carried himself in the presence of other youkai. He was confident now that Inuyasha would not allow himself to be intimidated by opulence, charm or power; weapons which youkai wielded with formidable skill.

"_It is a good start." Sesshoumaru decided._

Initially, the inu-youkai had been alarmed by the lack of attendants present in the unit Inuyasha occupied, but his apprehension was soon put to rest when Lady Kyoushou explained her reasoning.

"My lord Sesshoumaru, it would set an excellent example for the youkai at Shiyuuchi to see myself, the head of Shiyuuchi and younger sister to the kitsune lord, dancing attendance on the hanyou lord personally. It will remove any doubts they may have regarding lord Inuyasha's standing with them. I have ordered the estate tailors to create travel worthy garments for the young lord at your insistence. Even now, they are diligently at work preparing a selection of outfits fit for a prince. Others I have sent to prepare a relaxing bath as you have requested."

Sesshoumaru graced the lady with a rare smile of approval at her forethought. It was certainly a good scheme to drive home the point that despite Inuyasha's mixed heritage, he was still first and foremost, a member of the royal inu-youkai clan. The daiyoukai had been pleased to see the radiant smile on her face after a cursory sniff when he had first brought in his slumbering brother into the estate. He could quite clearly see the gears of thought turning in the lady's head.

Mating season is a dangerous time for unmated youkai, with the higher class youkai being the most severely affected. This was the primary reason for the creation of the Gathering in days long past and the existence of stringent rules monitoring youkai and ningen behaviour.

After a youkai has reached sexual maturity, every spring they gain the ability to absorb foreign saigen, which causes immense amounts of pain to the now viable youkai. This need that can only be met by only another youkai with similar saigen levels, enabling the two youkai to feed and sustain each other on the other's saigen. Once a suitable pairing has been formed, the two youkai usually become paramours for the duration of the month, or if they choose, the mating ceremony is initiated.

Sesshoumaru smirked as he noted the midnight blue hakama with silver obi Inuyasha had chosen. Predictably Inuyasha had selected the outfit that least hindered his movements, and gave him the best camouflage. He took note that the back side of the obi was dark coloured, so he presumed that Inuyasha intended to reverse the obi to blend in better if need be. He wondered how Inuyasha intended to disguise the mass of silver hair that tumbled down from his head. Rather impossible to conceal considering that Inuyasha chose to wear it long in accordance with youkai fashion. Of course his mother too wore her hair long, so it may have been his mother who encouraged the boy to let his hair grow out.

He looked at the discarded outfits that Inuyasha had apparently tried on then dismissed before settling on the blue. The three light coloured outfits lay neatly folded, dismissed for their obvious inability to blend into any environment. The only light coloured outfit that had been tried on was a fawn coloured one with designs worked in a deep brown. Amongst the darker outfits, a deep garish pink hakama heavily embroidered with sakura petals also lay untouched.

Sesshoumaru decided that he would have to have Lady Kyoushou speak with the tailor of that particular outfit.

It was obvious that Inuyasha's prime choices had been the midnight blue with silver obi, the mauve with a black obi and the dark brown with forest green obi.

Inuyasha had tied his hair back to the nape of his neck, and then braided it halfway down, securing it with matching dyed midnight blue leather cords. His feet were bound in knee high white leather boots with silver trimmings.

Sesshoumaru looked up as his half-brother approached him, now fully prepared. He paused before his daiyoukai sibling, squirming self-consciously.

Sesshoumaru found himself struck speechless for a few moments. Inuyasha had always been a beautiful creature, but now he looked positively stunning. The ensemble and Inuyasha's carriage gave away nothing of Inuyasha's near feral lifestyle. Half-blooded or not, the hanyou was highly desirable, and he strongly suspected that there will be quite a number of youkai lords and ladies who would make the same observation.

"Well how do I look?" Inuyasha growled out, apparently tired of waiting.

Not getting a reply he huffed a "whatever" and strode back across the room and retrieved a white leather sling bag from the closet. Inside it, Sesshoumaru could see Inuyasha's original black leather pouch as the hanyou inspected its contents before slinging it across his back. Inside it, Sesshoumaru could see what seemed like another smaller pouch full of white pebbles. He could also smell the herb used by priestesses to stay awake during long tiring ritual and … _sugar treats_? The scent was immediately cut off when Inuyasha closed the black leather pouch, making him wonder if the bag had magical properties. Inuyasha then retrieved the sheathed Tetsaiga and slung it in the sword belt at his hip under the obi.

"'Kay, lets get moving. The sooner we get into the palace, the better."

Sesshoumaru shook his head mentally, berating himself for his momentary lapse and followed the hanyou towards the estate gates where Lady Kyoushou waited to give a final farewell. Sesshoumaru bade his own formal farewell, followed by Inuyasha, who closely mimicked him. Lady Kyoushou smiled her approval, and indicated that she would be expecting their arrival soon to retrieve their guests, and expected both siblings to dine with her before their departure. Inuyasha charmingly accepted the offer on both their behalf, earning a faint blush from the kitsune, much to Sesshoumaru's amusement.

Sesshoumaru led Inuyasha past the gates, and before long, they found themselves in a forest surrounded by fog.

"Ano Sesshoumaru…" Inuyasha called uncertainly, when they were about a half hour into the forest.

Sesshoumaru paused and turned around to face Inuyasha, an eyebrow raised in query. Ever since they had parted with Lady Kyoushou, Sesshoumaru could sense Inuyasha's agitation.

"The mist, it isn't poisonous, is it?" asked Inuyasha quietly, toeing a slender humanoid skeleton that had horns sprouting from its forehead.

Sesshoumaru smirked. So the puppy had figured it out.

"It is Inuyasha. However, the poison is very weak, and takes several days to take effect. Those who enter the mists without an escort or consent lose all sense of direction and begin wandering in circles eventually losing their lives to the toxin or starvation."

Inuyasha nodded thoughtfully, eyeing the harmless looking dandelions that surrounded them.

"_The spores from the dandelions… that is the source of poison... This entire forest is made of only one sort of tree… the only plant able to survive the toxin I guess…" _Inuyasha deduced. "_But if the poison is that weak, it couldn't be why the youkai lose their sense of direction immediately as they set foot into the barrier like Sesshoumaru implied… but then why…"_

Taking a deep calming breath, Inuyasha gently unravelled the threads of reiryoku from his form. He then carefully extended his power in the form of hair-thin strands about himself, delicately weaving them together to form a complex three-dimensional network around him. He could feel the intensity of Sesshoumaru's gaze as he worked. When he was finished, the structure was five meters wide in every direction even underground forming a perfect sphere, with Inuyasha located in the centre.

Working with reiryoku at this level of finesse took years of practice; years that Inuyasha was able to devote to pure mental conditioning during his period of imprisonment by Kikyo's sacred arrow. Kikyo's spell arrow had driven him into his subconscious mind and locked him there keeping him in a state of suspended animation, as opposed to true sleep or even death. For the fifty years he spent in this state of _not dreaming_, Inuyasha had trained relentlessly in his mindscape if only to escape the eternal sameness of the fogs of his inner world that was causing him to slowly lose his sanity. When he had been abruptly awakened from his forced slumber, in his half crazed state Inuyasha had attacked the first creature that had resembled his prisoner, despite the warnings all his other senses gave him to the contrary. Hell! He had been taken down by a simple rosary created by Kikyo's younger sister, Kaede; a priestess who even in her prime had never possessed even a fraction of her sister's strength.

Taking care to keep his breathing steady, Inuyasha closed his eyes, and "looked" at his creation with his inner eye. Inuyasha could not actually see the reiryoku and saigen like Kikyo could with her trained divine eyes, but this particular technique allowed him to "visualize" his surroundings in his mind as a world done entirely in an array of hazy violets, golds, reds and blues.

Currently, to his inner eye, the gold appeared like a mist cloaking him a mere two inches off his skin, representing his saigen and the violets he could "see" as the complex meshwork of his woven reiryoku.

If there were any ningen present within the boundaries of his sorcery, he would "see" them as figures in varying shades of blue, depending on the intensity of their reiryoku.

Not surprisingly, there were no blue aura's present within his globe at that moment. He himself had never "looked" at Kikyo's reiryoku using this technique as he had perfected it only after his sealing. However, he did have a strong suspicion that her colour may have been deep shade of blue-black.

Similarly, youkai appeared in shades of red when their saigen intersected with his network. To his inner eye, he could "see" Sesshoumaru represented by a deep crimson that was as dark as old blood.

But that was not all he "saw".

Surrounding the inu siblings were dozens of pale red spots, the size of mice, scurrying about on the ground, taking care to stay at least a metre away from the siblings.

Inuyasha opened his eyes without dismissing his technique, to see a curious Sesshoumaru studying him thoughtfully.

The daiyoukai had until now been magnanimously stayed silent so that the hanyou's concentration would not be disrupted. While Sesshoumaru himself could not see Inuyasha's reiryoku manipulation, his instincts did warn him of unnatural changes taking place.

Upon seeing that he had Inuyasha's attention he said, "What are you doing Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha took a moment before answering, "It is my mother's seeking technique, Sesshoumaru."

"Seeking technique?" Sesshoumaru inquired.

Inuyasha nodded.

"With this technique, I am able to "see" all around myself with no blind spots."

"_The only limitation to this technique is the casting range, but Sesshoumaru doesn't need to know that."_ Inuyasha decided.

"When my mother was alive, she would keep this technique active all the time, by pooling our reiryoku, so neither of us was drained. I myself don't keep it active all the time as I have heightened senses, Aniki." Inuyasha added for Sesshoumaru's benefit.

Sesshoumaru was quite taken aback that a technique so powerful was at Inuyasha's disposal.

"_Well… that explains how Izayoi-hime was always able to sense me despite my concealing techniques. I can only sense the technique when Inuyasha was setting it up. Now that it is complete, I can no longer sense anything amiss."_ Sesshoumaru mused.

"_Another downside to this technique is that any ningen trained in using spiritual powers will be able to sense me using my reiryoku, and that would be rather… troublesome."_ Inuyasha said in his thoughts.

Sesshoumaru nodded to Inuyasha's explanation sensing that Inuyasha was holding back on information. Not surprising really, that Inuyasha was unwilling to disclose all his tricks to his murderous half-brother. He decided not to question him further, as the technique was merely defensive and not offensive. In the silence that followed, it was obvious to the daiyoukai that Inuyasha was trying to gather his thoughts, and the daiyoukai waited patiently. He could feel Inuyasha's growing unease.

"I looked around Sesshoumaru, and I saw…" Inuyasha paused groping for words.

Sesshoumaru's eyes opened a tad wider in comprehension and then narrowed again.

"You see nezumi-youkai." Sesshoumaru supplied.

"Rats?" Inuyasha asked curiously cocking his head to the side to listen better to the pitter-patter of hundreds of tiny feet.

"Yes Inuyasha. Rat-familiars that are bound to the royal inu-youkai clan, like Ah-Un the dragon-familiar. The rats have the ability to meddle with a youkai or ningen's sense of direction."

Inuyasha nodded thoughtfully.

"So… If the poison from the spores doesn't get you, you will simply waste away from starvation, wandering about here endlessly?"

Sesshoumaru inclined his head, indicating that Inuyasha had it right.

"And just when were you gonna tell me that…" the hanyou hissed in exasperation, his triangular ears pinning back against his head. "And why isn't there any kind of sign outside the barrier warning off intruders?" Inuyasha asked, waving one hand in the general direction from which they had come.

Sesshoumaru cocked his head to the left as he continued to regard Inuyasha.

"It was not necessary for you to understand the mechanics of the barrier, Otouto; hence I did not feel the need to explain. When we return to Shiyuuchi, I will show you how a member of the inu-youkai clan grants any youkai safe passage through the mists. And as for the absence of warning signs… the nezumi do need to feed you know…"

Inuyasha repressed a shudder at the chilling smile that graced his half-brother's face.

"Well we have some privacy now, right?" Inuyasha hissed gruffly, dismissing the rats as insignificant, his ears perking up again.

"We do, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru agreed. "The nezumi do not speak, and what they hear, they keep to themselves."

With that Inuyasha dismissed the sphere and leapt up into a tree, making himself comfortable in its branches.

"Come on up." Inuyasha beckoned with his hand to where Sesshoumaru might perch beside him. "You might as well make yourself comfortable. We need to talk."

"Indeed Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said as he floated up to the proffered branch, settling in gracefully. "I take it that this cannot wait until we are within Koukyo, Inuyasha?"

"No, I don't want to risk someone overhearing us. I believe this is as safe as it gets. Oh and hold out your hand." Inuyasha said, pulling his pouch off his back.

Sesshoumaru watched as Inuyasha retrieved two white river stones from his pouch and placed it in his outstretched hand.

"Pebbles Inuyasha, what do you want me to do with them."

"Observe them with all your senses." Inuyasha said.

Inuyasha watched as the youkai lord turned the pebbles over in his hands.

"Well… what do you see?" the hanyou asked impatiently.

"The stones… they are warm… " Sesshoumaru said hesitantly.

"And… " Inuyasha egged him on.

Sesshoumaru thoughtfully stared at the milky stones.

"And nothing else is out of the ordinary." Sesshoumaru decided finally. "They seem like ordinary river stones, except they feel a trifle warm… almost as if they are alive."

"Is that all?" Inuyasha asked sceptically. "Don't you sense any difference between the two?"

"I do not." Sesshoumaru said firmly. He watched as disappointment flitted across Inuyasha's countenance briefly.

Inuyasha then added two kinds of leaves from the pouch to the stones in Sesshoumaru's hands and asked if he recognized them and knew what they were for.

Sesshoumaru answered in the affirmative, and saw the relief in Inuyasha's eyes. One of the leaves was small and elliptical and the pale green of new leaves. This was the one he scented earlier that is used to keep awake during rituals. The other leaf was thin, long and fleshy, and was dark green with a slight silver sheen to it. This leaf is used as a potent pain killer.

"You are preparing for a ritual Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said, realizing the significance of the two leaves. "And you need my co-operation for the said ritual."

Sesshoumaru looked up to see Inuyasha fidgeting with the ends of his sleeves which Sesshoumaru knew from experience was a very vivid display of Inuyasha's anxiety.

"Yes… no… I mean it isn't actually a ritual… I mean…" Inuyasha stopped when he realized that he was babbling. He looked up to see the daiyoukai patiently waiting for him to continue.

"TheRulingYoukaiWillBeThere,AndTheyWillSeeYouAsWeakWithoutYourArmAndTheyWillMockYouAndIDon'tWantThemToMockYouAnd-!"

Inuyasha paused when he felt Sesshoumaru's finger across his lips and who then removed it.

"Start again, Inuyasha. And this time speak slowly." he said.

Inuyasha nodded gratefully and took a deep breath and gave his head a shake.

"Your arm Sesshoumaru. No the other one. The one you don't have…" Inuyasha paused, took another deep breath and tried again.

This time he looked into Sesshoumaru's eyes resolutely.

"I know how to restore your other arm within two days, if you will let me." He enunciated carefully. "It will be done before we have to go to Shiyuuchi to escort our guests."

Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha's flushed face, eyes lit with determination as he processed what Inuyasha had said.

After a few moments he said, "Did you bring the sugar treats to bribe me with?"

Hearing that, Inuyasha nearly fell out of the tree.

**oOoOo **

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**Author's Note**

**Special thanks to my reviewers: **TeeDee, StolenDreamer, animelover6000, Sciplore, Russanya, RamiNeko, RKInu241, yllom21, darkangel36, DINKA SAYURI ROYAL, petpeeves12, fluffys-sidekick,

**StolenDreamer, yllom21, IvyLady:**  
Thank you for your reviews. I always worrying if my version of Inuyasha is a little difficult to take in. Glad you like it! I myself haven't read any smart Inuyasha fics out there, hence this attempt!

**Demitria Miriam:**  
LOL! Just so you know I'm a girl. Warning duly noted. This chapter is longer than the rest. Hope it soothes you ruffled feathers!

**IvyLady:**  
Got it right in one go! Yep Sesshomaru is definitely not being very brotherly. Mate behaviour is what it is as other youkai will point out soon!

**DINKA SAYURI ROYAL:**  
Glad you liked my naming convention!

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To all my readers, I have one small request to make. Could someone, just one person please let me know if the fic is starting to sound like an encyclopedia. I have been introducing a lot of concepts as required for my story to make sense. I hope it isn't making it cumbersome to read! 

**Anyways, that's all for today! Keep reading and reviewing!**

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	9. 1,8 Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings: **Rated M, Inucest, YAOI

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**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

"I know how to restore your other arm within two days, if you will let me." He enunciated carefully. "It will be done before we have to go to Shiyuuchi to escort our guests."

Sesshomaru looked at Inuyasha's flushed face, eyes lit with determination as he processed what Inuyasha had said.

After a few moments he said, "Did you bring the sugar treats to bribe me with?"

Hearing that, Inuyasha nearly fell out of the tree.

**oOoOo**

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**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 01 – Journey to the Palace of the West  
_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 8  
_**

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Inuyasha stared at Sesshomaru with a stupefied expression; his jaw hanging loose. 

Sesshomaru casually reached over and closed his mouth with an audible click.

Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched when he noticed the amused twinkle in those cold metallic eyes.

_"The bastard is toying with me!" Inuyasha realized._

"Sesshomaru… Please…" Inuyasha said through gritted teeth. "I am trying to be serious here."

Sesshomaru cocked his head to the right curiously and then suddenly disappeared from sight.

_"What the… ?"_

Inuyasha turned to the left to see Sesshomaru sitting on another branch holding the satchel full of jingling rock candy. He watched as the youkai carefully retrieved a pink candy from the bag and examined it before popping it into his mouth.

"Strawberry." Sesshomaru pronounced thoughtfully.

"Sesshomaru give those back." Inuyasha snapped.

"I did not know that you had a sweet tooth Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said with a smirk before popping a second candy into his mouth. He tipped his head to the right as he considered the taste.

"Apparently it runs in the family." Inuyasha shot back.

Sesshomaru looked at Inuyasha in quiet contemplation as if pondering his words and then after a few moments he looked away and pronounced the following words carefully with a touch of appreciation.

"Apple and caramel."

"Don't mock me Sesshomaru." Inuyasha growled out softly.

He watched angrily as the daiyoukai disregarded him in favour of a third candy which turned out to be a grape flavoured one, apparently not to Sesshomaru's taste judging by the grimace.

"Sesshomaru, stop eating my candy!" Inuyasha sputtered. "I need them for the ritual!"

Inuyasha snatched the satchel away from the daiyoukai and drew the strings close.

"Well? do you want me to repair your arm or not!" Inuyasha said exasperatedly.

Inuyasha moved his hand out of the way as Sesshomaru tried reaching for the satchel again.

"Why would you need sugar treats, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru asked, settling back realizing that Inuyasha would not hand him back the treats.

"So that I don't shrink and die you moron!" Inuyasha snapped. "I need the sugar in those treats to give me energy while I am working on you."

"Working on me Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru asked, still eyeing the tempting little satchel. "I have not agreed to this ritual of yours."

With Rin around, Sesshomaru had to do completely without any form of sugar. If he had any dessert, Rin would want some as well. It had not taken the Lord of the West long to figure out that there were not many things that are more terrifying than a shrieking Rin on a sugar high.

Inuyasha curled his hands protectively around the satchel as he tried to speak calmly and will away his childish annoyance at his half-brother for stealing his candy.

"Your arm is already growing back isn't it?" Inuyasha stated more than asked, trying to bring them back to the topic being discussed to which the daiyoukai gave a nod, though his were eyes still on the treats. Inuyasha decided to put the treats away into the black pouch so that the youkai lord could focus on him. He was a more than a little amused to see the disappointment in those golden eyes before it was replaced by the usual look of aloofness.

_"How long has it been since he has had anything sweet?" Inuyasha mused distractedly._

Inuyasha pointed to the pebbles in Sesshomaru's hand.

"Those stones you are holding are called Kanameishi…" Inuyasha began, "and are normally used to store reiryoku by men and women of the cloth."

Sesshomaru nodded, encouraging Inuyasha to continue. He knew what Kanameishi were as he had seen ningen use them in erecting their holy barriers. However, the keystones he was acquainted with were composed of beryls, garnets, amethysts and other semi-precious stones… and most certainly not plain river stones.

"Well, you see my mother was not a miko, as you know she was not dedicated to any particular shrine. Izayoi-hime was a sorceress. She taught me how to make these keystones from pebbles found in river beds."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. He had not been aware that his father's second mate had been a sorceress. He did not like it that his father had withheld such vital information from him.

"And where did your mother learn the art of sorcery, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru inquired coolly.

_Apparently he has overcome his momentary fixation on the treats. Inuyasha decided._

"From her mother; my grandmother." Inuyasha temporized, squirming uncomfortably for some reason.

"And who is your grandmother, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru asked growing increasingly suspicious of Inuyasha's descent.

The Lady Izayoi was reputed to be the daughter of Prince Isagiyoi of Setsuna. However not much else was known about the princess's bearer. She was said to have been abandoned by her mother in the hands of the prince as an infant. To Sesshomaru's knowledge, there have never been any reports of any powerful sorceress that the prince may have had an affair with or any female coming forth to claim rights over the child Izayoi. Incidentally, the young princess bore no resemblance to Isagiyoi, and if rumours were to be believed, Izayoi was not the prince's child at all.

_In fact, the sole reason Izayoi-hime had been accepted in her kingdom at all was because of her unnatural beauty and prince Isagiyoi's dogged insistence that he was her father._

"Look, we don't have all day to discuss my mother's descent Sesshomaru and it has nothing to do with the present." Inuyasha snarled. "Do you want your arm back or not?"

"Indeed Inuyasha. I would be quite grateful if you are indeed able to restore my arm… as you claim Inuyasha." Sesshomaru smirked, his eyes clearly showing what he thought of his little brother's allegations. "Should you, Inuyasha truly have access to such a technique that will restore my arm in two days, I would like to know what it is before I agree to it, and you will presently detail the procedure to me. However, once you have finished your explanations, you will tell me of your descent, and the arts in which you have been trained." Sesshomaru said uncompromisingly.

"In all these years… all these times that we have met… you have never made any mention of sorcery. You have not been honest with me, Inuyasha." he accused softly.

Inuyasha looked away, his eyes shadowed in his bangs.

"LOOK. I haven't lied to you Sesshomaru. I… I have never lied to you. I just didn't… couldn't tell you everything at that time. That's all…" Inuyasha shook his head hating this feeling of unwanted guilt. "If you really want to know, then I'll tell you… on condition that you will keep it to only yourself… My mother's parentage is not public knowledge, and only a select few know of her ancestry aside from her father."

_"…and none of them are from this realm." Inuyasha added in his mind._

"What are you hiding from me Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru hissed, sensing Inuyasha's omission.

Inuyasha forced himself to look into Sesshomaru's eyes which were still narrowed with distrust and vowed solemnly, "I promise I will tell you everything about my ancestry Sesshomaru… on condition that you will not share this knowledge with anyone else without my consent… or give any indication to anyone that you have this information."

Sesshomaru despite his misgivings, agreed with a grunt seeing that the hanyou would not be dissuaded. He knew Inuyasha was not lying and would honour his vow.

Inuyasha gave him a cheerless smile before he drew in another calming breath before launching into the details of the ritual.

Apparently the ritual was quite simple and involved simply boosting Sesshomaru's natural regeneration of his arm by forcing additional saigen into his body.

Like his mother, Inuyasha was also capable of storing reiryoku in objects, but given his dual nature, the hanyou had managed to twist the technique to make it possible to store his own saigen into the stones. Inuyasha pointed out to the daiyoukai which stone held reiryoku and which one held saigen. The daiyoukai tried sensing the stored energies, but still could not feel a difference between the two.

Sesshomaru was quite taken aback although he did not show it. He knew that such a technique was unheard of in the youkai circle of sorcery and his own palace sorceresses would give an arm and a leg to get their hands on a technique capable of storing saigen. Inuyasha's secrecy was valid, he realized. If any youkai were to get a whiff of this technique then his authority could be challenged. The only this that had maintained order in the youkai nations was the colossal power differences present between the different ranks of youkai. Daiyoukai were only able to mate with daiyoukai, warriors only mated other warrior tribes and nobles only mated amongst themselves. All other youkai were termed as lesser youkai were able to mate with each other successfully, resulting in the vast myriad of hybrid forms present roaming the countryside.

When Sesshomaru interrupted Inuyasha's monologue with a question regarding the usage of river stones to create keystones, Inuyasha had replied easily.

"Beryls work better for the spell casting as they are able to both accept and release saigen easily, but they are harder to come by in the wild. River stones – with a little conditioning – make acceptable substitutions and work just as well as garnets and other semiprecious stones. Well I use river tones because… well they are dirt cheap… literally and well bandits are not interested in them."

In nature, all saigen is indistinguishable from another, just as it is with all reiryoku being exactly identical in ningen. This property allowed different races of youkai to mate successfully and produce virile offspring. So in theory, the same principle should apply to the procedure and Sesshomaru's body should accept Inuyasha's saigen as if it were his own easily, making it possible to speed up his regeneration.

"The only side effect to this technique", Inuyasha warned, "is that it causes immense amounts of pain to the recipient of the saigen."

This, Inuyasha explained, was because the youkai body was not accustomed to being overloaded with such high levels of energy and the saigen tolerance levels are pushed to the limits; hence the use of the dark silvery leaves as pain killers for Sesshomaru.

The round pale leaves would be taken by Inuyasha to stay awake during the ritual as it was very mentally taxing and the sugar in the treats served to replenish Inuyasha's physical energy stores so that his body did not end up cannibalizing itself.

Sesshomaru nodded thoughtfully and explained to Inuyasha that the same principle applied to mating.

"Mated demons feed off each others saigen, Inuyasha." He said gravely. "Should a pair of youkai mate who have noticeably disparate levels of saigen, over a period of a year both youkai will die; the weaker mate from over-dosage of saigen and the stronger mate from under-nourishment."

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he took in the connotation. He had never thought of it that way. His head swivelled back towards Sesshomaru when the daiyoukai voiced another concern that Inuyasha had not taken into account.

"The ritual… it can be done in two days you say." Sesshomaru said. "Are you certain it will not take longer or perhaps less time?"

Inuyasha tipped his head to the side as he considered the question glad that the youkai was finally taking him seriously.

"Actually Sesshomaru, now that you mention it, I'm not so sure…" he replied at length. "I'm basing your recovery on my own recovery rates. I'm naturally a fast healer so I don't need to use this technique on myself too often. But when Juromaru and Kageromaru had attacked-" Inuyasha paused on seeing Sesshomaru's confusion. "Juromaru and Kageromaru were Naraku's more successful incarnations. They are dead now." Inuyasha added offhandedly seeing Sesshomaru's distaste at the mention of the kumo-hanyou's name. "Well, when they attacked, they were able to completely destroy my gut and it took me two days to restore myself then."

Inuyasha looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Well I really don't know what to say. I mean, I did not have access to the pain relieving leaves then, so my concentration was pretty badly hampered. And I think my quick healing ability helped out a lot. I'd say it would take anywhere between … hmm…" Inuyasha cocked his head to one side, "… one and four days for your arm to be completed, but that's just a guess. I only have painkiller leaves for two and a half days at the most though." Inuyasha added worriedly.

"Should you run out of sugar treats, _Otouto_, I will be happy to provide you with more." Sesshomaru said ignoring the look Inuyasha shot at him, "And the leaves can be easily acquired from the healers' quarters Inuyasha. That will not be a problem." Sesshomaru responded coolly to Inuyasha's anxiety.

Inuyasha brightened on hearing that.

"So you'll let me do it?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes, but on one condition." Sesshomaru said warningly.

"What? I told you I'd tell you about my mother later." Inuyasha said cautiously.

"Indeed Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said, smiling coldly, reminding Inuyasha that he had not forgotten their deal so quickly. "We will discuss that matter when you are healing me. However that is not my condition."

Sesshomaru watched as confusion flitted through Inuyasha's eyes.

"Well then what is it you want to know." Inuyasha asked quietly not liking the look in Sesshomaru's eyes. It looked almost like…

_"… jealousy… no that can't be right…"_

"Before your sealing took place Inuyasha, where did you hide yourself during mating season? And who was that kitsune I scented on you earlier Inuyasha?"

Sesshomaru looked at Inuyasha measuringly as the hanyou's expression darkened.

"I'll tell you Sesshomaru." Inuyasha said with a bitter laugh. "I wanted to restore your arm to you so that the West is not perceived to have been weakened since their lord has been crippled. If you are seen as weak, they will assume that it is permissible to assassinate the younger sibling of lord of the West."

"After all, who would mourn the passing of a hanyou?" he added scathingly. "I thought I would spare you the subtle and not so subtle jeering that will follow as soon as they figure out that you are missing an arm and the person you have the misfortune to address as "Otouto". But that's not enough for you is it you selfish gluttonous greedy bastard? You want more. You want to know everything. You know what? I'll tell you everything… eventually. But for now let's get moving. We've been talking for over an hour. Your staff will be worried if we are late."

The hanyou leaped off the tree, and stalked off in the direction of the palace.

Inuyasha was furious, and did not turn around to see if the daiyoukai was following.

All the playfulness from earlier had dissipated, and all that was left behind was the vile taste of the knowledge within Inuyasha that he would always be alone.

So when Inuyasha felt an arm wrap around his waist from behind, his heart leapt to his throat in panic. He tried to fight free, but his hands were stilled when a long prehensile tail come down and formed impromptu fluffy manacles around his wrists.

"Let go of me damn it!" Inuyasha yelled as he struggled against the daiyoukai's grip.

"You mustn't be so hasty, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru murmured, not giving in to the hanyou's demands, instead pulling the hanyou fully against his form. "You assume much."

"Oh?" Inuyasha stopped his struggles and huffed scornfully, "And exactly what have I presumed oh great lord Sesshomaru?"

Inuyasha felt Sesshomaru nuzzling into his hair, breathing in his scent deeply and then suddenly flipped around and violently slammed into a tree, leaving Inuyasha gasping for breath from the force of the blow.

Inuyasha opened his eyes and found a pair of golden eyes barely inches from his face slowly bleeding into the pure red of demonic fury.

"Do not turn your back on me, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru hissed ferally, his clawed hand visible at Inuyasha's throat, making Inuyasha gulp in fear.

"Yeah?" Inuyasha hissed shakily, "Do you want me to walk away from you backwards?"

A look of satisfaction glimmered in the daiyoukai's eyes telling Inuyasha that Sesshomaru had seen right through his bravado. He watched with relief as the red receded from the metallic optics.

"Indeed Inuyasha, you will most certainly not walk away from me unless I dismiss you… backwards or otherwise."

Sesshomaru let his hand clench around the slim neck, nearly choking the silver-haired hanyou. He smiled chillingly at the look of pain, fear and hatred in Inuyasha's features.

_"Such defiance Inuyasha is admirable in battle…" Sesshomaru mused, "However… "_

"So long as you live within Koukyo, you will show me utmost deference… treat me with perfect respect and carry yourself in a manner fitting of the prince of the West. Your mannerisms and conduct will be flawless. Remember Inuyasha, your life and your death… both are in my hands… I have shown you rare mercy all these years that I have allowed you to live… filthy creature that pollutes our father's blood…"

Sesshomaru released his strangle grip on Inuyasha's neck. The hanyou was turning blue from suffocation and the youkai lord decided that it would not serve his image well to appear entering Koukyo carrying an unconscious hanyou in his arms. He conveniently forgot that only hours earlier he had carried the said hanyou unconscious into Shiyuuchi.

"You mentioned a concern Inuyasha… you were concerned that myself being… crippled as you put it…" spitting out the distasteful word. "You fear it would jeopardize your own standing amongst the youkai? Very well then, I shall permit you to restore my arm to me. Of course I shall pretend that I know nothing of your desire to reimburse myself for your stay within the castle walls using the healing as payment?"

He watched in satisfaction at the surprise followed by anger that flitted through Inuyasha's amber eyes. He chuckled inwardly.

_"Sometimes the hanyou was entirely too easy to read… and at other times…"_

Sesshomaru found his frowning at that thought.

_"No… Inuyasha can shield his thoughts from his countenance well enough when he chooses to…"_

The daiyoukai was further mollified when he realized the trust that the hanyou was placing in him by allowing the youkai to read him through his body language if not through words.

He allowed his hand to stroke the already fading bruises, feeling amused when the hanyou unconsciously leaned into the caress before jerking back with a repressed curse.

"It was our father's will that that you be presented before the youkai at the Gathering. You will be presented as a viable mate for any youkai that may have you… and have no doubts Inuyasha… there will be many who will desire to mark you as their own… and just as many who will want to end your existence…"

Sesshomaru watched as Inuyasha stayed uncharacteristically silent, sensing the heavy import of his words.

"For the former, Inuyasha… you may court or allow others to court you as you choose… however your final mate choice must be presented to me for approval. Without my approval, you may not commence a mating."

Inuyasha looked surprised at that.

"You're gonna let me choose?"

"Indeed Inuyasha… it was our father's will that I choose my own mate although he would veto the final decision, and I will extend the same courtesy to you."

He remembered his father's deep voice laughingly telling him to choose his own mate as it would be his son who would have to spend eternity with his chosen long-legged banshee and not himself.

"And as for your second concern Inuyasha…" Sesshomaru whispered softly into the triangular ears.

"My second concern?" Inuyasha murmured, trying to scoot away but found his movements restricted by the tree at his back.

"Yes Inuyasha… your concern that you would be assassinated while you are here at Koukyo. Understand that by presenting you at the Gathering, I will be acknowledging, a hanyou brat like yourself as my blood brother. Hence any attack on you will also be seen as an attack on the royal family and will be suitably dealt with. You are a royal of these lands Inuyasha, tainted though your blood may be."

With those words, Sesshomaru released Inuyasha, and began to once again make his way towards the palace.

"Remember Inuyasha… I have said this before and I will say this again…" he murmured softly, "You need never fear for your life Inuyasha for I will allow no one to stain their hands with your blood save myself."

Sesshomaru could feel Inuyasha's confusion as his mind wrestled with those familiar words for the first time seeing beyond the superficial, deeper into those words.

_"No one will kill you Inuyasha… for I will not allow our father's legacy to wither away… find your own strength… for I have none to give you… show the world that you are worthy of our father's blood… prove to me that you are worthy of my notice…"_

From then, the walk back to the palace was a silent one, punctuated only by steady footsteps of the inu siblings lost in their own thoughts and the scurrying of thousands of demon mice.

**oOoOo **

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**Character Profiles of OCs created by oStilloDreamingo  
**

** Lord Kengeki (swordplay)**  
Species: Human  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Samurai clan  
Status: Nobility/Warrior – Lord of Samurai Clan  
Age Group: 32

**Lady Teiyoku (gracefully)**  
Species: Human  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Samurai clan  
Status: Nobility/Warrior – Lady of Samurai Clan  
Age Group: 28

**oOoOo**

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**  
**

**_Words and names created to be used exclusively for this story by oStilloDreamingo_**

Saigen / Demon Powers - This is the actual energy created and used by demons to make their attacks and sorcery possible  
Youki / Demon Instict - This is the demon's primal instincts that warn them of danger or allow them to frm mating bonds, etc.

Koukyo/Imperial Palace  
Shiyuuchi/Estate  
Kiri no Shouheki/Mist Barrier

**oOoOo**

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**Author's Note:**

**Special thanks to my reviewers: **FXL, sleepless, Polka dot, darkangel36, Tsumetai Taiyoukai, Angel no Yami, Wildbookaddict, thr3e, twitchyfingers, VampJenna, RamiNeko, firedemonartemis, TeeDee, RKInu241, Ominous, darkangel36, twitchyfingers, the Dah, IvyLady, petpeeves12 and Russanya.

**FXL:**  
lol! I'm always happy to get review even if it is for past post! Yep Sesshomaru is definitely getting his arm back. Thanks for the feedback!

**sleepless:**  
This story will be a lot of Sess/Inu interaction. They will be getting together in hops and leaps, but I'm not going to make it easy for them!

**Polka dot:**  
Just as I was about to post Chapter 8, I got your review, and I'm glad that you sent it! Thanks for pointing out that Sesshomaru was being OOC. I took your review to heart, and redid my entire Chapter 8. Hope Sesshomaru sounds more in-character! (Please let me know if he is still too OOC.)

**Tsumetai Taiyoukai:**  
LOL! Thanks for reviewing every single chapter. I was actually checking my mail when your reviews kept coming in one after the other. I'm glad you feel that my plot line is original (and I hope to keep it that way). I can see that you are enjoying yourself so far, and I hope I can keep you entertained in the future. I'm not very good at humour, so I am always nervous about putting in these little light hearted bits. Do keep reviewing!

**Angel no Yami:**  
Thanks! I'm glad you like how I portrayed the characters. Please do let me know if you feel like I am not being consistent in my characterizations.

**Wildbookaddict:**  
lol! Heres the next update, hope you enjoy it! (I love your nic. Describes me perfectly!)

**thr3e:**  
Glad you liked my attempt at humour! Thank you for reviewing both chapters! (Again no need to apologize for delays in reviewing. I was watching the world cup myself! Can't wait for the semi-finals! I have yaoi-phobe family members, so I totally understand. Harvest Moon? Nice way to start the summer! Do let me know how the game turns out) To address your concern, I have no idea why Kyoushou was bolded in chapter 7, (It isn't bolded in my drafts) but I'll get to it soon.  
I'm, glad someone commented on Sesshomaru hoing out to kill food for Inuyasha (It was breakfast not dinner like you mentioned). Thank you for the metaphorical chunk of cheese! Its nice to know that you do like my fic! (Nibbles happily Yum)**  
**

** VampJenna:**  
Here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy it!

**RamiNeko:**  
I can't promise that this chapter will be as engrossing as the last, but I do hope you like it!

**firedemonartemis:**  
Thank you for your review!

**StolenDreamer:**  
Glad you liked my attempt at humour. Things do get darker in this chapter, but I hope you do appreciate it as much!

**Sefadora Firewood:**  
Lol! I promise the last chapter was over 3000 words compared to my usual 2000-ish word limit and this chapter is even longer. I did add on a few titbits at the end of the chapter so tat people could keep track of actual names and terminology used on Inuyasha and stuff I have made up).

**Demitria Miriam:**  
grins. A lot of people enjoyed the sugar treats bit and I'm glad that you liked it too! Hope I didn't make you wait too long! Here's the next update.

**DINKA SAYURI ROYAL:**  
I hope this chapter answers your question of why Inuyasha wanted to give Sesshomaru back his arm. Hope you find this chapter to be more interesting. Thanks!

**animelover6000:**  
I'm not quite sure actually. Chances are that I will not be bringing in the parents of the inu siblings at all. I might if my reviewers would like to see them in the story. But if I don't get any requests, I will be leaving them to rest peacefully in their graves and will not have them resurrected in any fashion.

**TeeDee:**  
lol! Nope no sugar treats for you! But I do hope you like this next chapter!

**RKInu241:**  
Here's the update as you as desired. Takes a bow. Enjoy!

**Ominous:**  
Glad you think the story is cute and funny. I hope you like my future updates just as much!

**Another round of thanks go to darkangel36, twitchyfingers, the Dah, IvyLady, petpeeves12 and Russanya for letting me know that my fic does not sound like an encyclopedia and is working out quite well. I'm so glad so many people responded to my query!**

**darkangel36:**  
Glad you liked the humour bit. I will be putting in bits and pieces of humour in the story to lighten the mood, but not so much that it can be placed in the genre humour.

**twitchyfingers:**  
I hope you like this next chapter.

**the Dah:**  
I'm glad you liked the details. (My Beta reader claims that I am over descriptive and drive people nuts with boredom… I say she has no taste… she's my little sister you know… giggles) -the Dah-

**IvyLady:**  
I'm glad you liked my last chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much! I'd like it if you'd let me know if Sesshomaru and Inuyasha are being OOC. Thanks!

**petpeeves12:**  
Lol! Well that's alright! I'm glad my concepts aren't interfering with your reading pleasure. I hope you like this chapter!

**Russanya:**  
I really liked your review. Made me feel valued. I was rather hoping to attract readers reading for plot and slight smut as opposed to pwps (Porno without Plot). I do not do pointless smut. You mentioned that the reiryoku technique reminded you of Matrix... but I hope that means you didn't have a hard time picturing what was going on! Lol! Never heard that song! I am sorry for depriving you of the pleasure… it sounds hilarious! I have asked this favour of IvyLady, and I will ask you as well. Could you please let me know if the inu sibs are being OOC? Please I would be grateful! Do keep reviewing.

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_**To all my readers:**_

You will notice that I have added a little blurb giving details of my Original Characters. I hope this helps keep track of them. This fic will involve creating quite a few OCs as the anime never does show Sesshomaru interacting with anyone at his palace.

That was the end of Arc 01 – Journey to the Palace of the West and starting Next Chapter, we have Arc 02 – Palace of the Western Lands.

I have created a profile for myself, so for those who want to know more about me and what I do, please visit my profile.

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**Guys keep reading and reviewing! It helps me write and keep you entertained! Thank you!**

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	10. 2,1 Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings:** Rated M, Inucest, YAOI

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**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

"Remember Inuyasha… I have said this before and I will say this again…" he murmured softly, "You need never fear for your life Inuyasha for I will allow no one to stain their hands with your blood save myself."

Sesshomaru could feel Inuyasha's confusion as his mind wrestled with those familiar words for the first time seeing beyond the superficial, deeper into those words.

"_No one will kill you Inuyasha… for I will not allow our father's legacy to wither away… find your own strength… for I have none to give you… show the world that you are worthy of our father's blood… prove to me that you are worthy of my notice…"_

From then, the walk back to the palace was a silent one, punctuated only by steady footsteps of the inu siblings lost in their own thoughts and the scurrying of thousands of demon mice.

**oOoOo**

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**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 02 – Palace of the Western Lands_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 9  
_**

**_

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_**

Lord Kyoushin stood beside the gates of Koukyo, poised in his silken robes consisting of a pale blue haori with black hakama, obi and knee-high boots. He wore his shoulder-length golden hair in a topknot and his angular face exuded just the right touch of power and humility that was required of him as the steward of the Imperial Palace. Like his sister lady Kyoushou of Shiyuuchi, lord Kyoushin was answerable to no one except the great lord of the West. Beside him stood his mate for well over half a millennium, the serene lady Mizuiro with pale blue eyes and a mass of golden blonde hair that marked them as belonging to the race of the noble golden fox demons.

Just before dawn, lord Kyoushin had been awakened from his slumber by faint tugging sensations on his mind, which he instantly recognized to be his sister Kyoushou contacting him by mind speech. Kyoushin had immediately alerted the palace staff of the arrival of the lord of the palace and his younger half-brother, setting the entire palace abuzz with activity to accommodate the long awaited lords. His sister had warned him to expect the inu siblings at noon by the latest. He looked up at the hazy sky with its eternal fog and took note of the position of the sun appearing as a pale yellow disk behind the mist. It was well past noon now and still there was no sign of the royal siblings. He was a trifle worried that the lords may have faced some difficulties within the Kiri no Shouheki, but then dismissed that thought as unconceivable. There were not many things in the world that were capable of hindering a daiyoukai in his bonded lands.

Despite the outward calm the pair exuded, Kyoushin could faintly detect his mate's well hidden anxiety, for which he was not very surprised. His lady feared for their only son and heir apparent; Shinkirou.

He sent some soothing thoughts to his mate, causing Mizuiro's eyes to brighten visibly as she shook off the remnants of her stress.

The golden kitsune clan has served the silver inu clan for countless generations, as stewards, healers, sorcerers and as general castle staff. They were responsible for the smooth running of the estates held by the silver inu clan while the current Inu no Taisho patrolled the West keeping the delicate power balance of the lands in check with assistance from the brown ookami warrior clan in circumstances where numbers were crucial.

As is typical of youkai belonging to the nobility cast, the golden kitsune possessed psychic abilities enabling them to keep contact via telepathy with their kin. This ability made them valuable assassins and spies as they were able to report information over vast distances while maintaining complete stealth. In fact, even the deceptively fragile-looking lady Mizuiro was a true assassin, wearing a black full bodysuit with her preferred weapon of senbon needles strapped over her thighs, ankles, arms, wrists and torso underneath her pale blue floral kimono.

"_My mate is correct"_, thought Lady Mizuiro. _"Shinkirou has chosen to not attend to the lord of the castle by his own free will and the blame for his absence cannot be placed on either of his parents or our daughter Misora."_

She sniffed disdainfully at her youngling's thoughtlessness. **_"The foolish child chose to absent himself from the welcoming party due to his belief that the young Inu no Taisho had lost his mind inviting a half-breed to the Gathering; an event held annually only for the demon elite. Inviting! Does the boy not see that even a Halfling of the royal lineage belongs among the elite?"_** she sent incredulously.

"_**Young Shinkirou will soon see the error of his ways when he is personally chastised by lord Sesshomaru for the disrespect shown towards the royal clan."** _sent Kyoushin solemnly to his irate mate. **_"It might bring our impudent child's ego down a few notches to be personally exposed to the unrivalled power of the inu-daiyoukai."_** added lord Kyoushin sardonically.

The thought brought a predatory smirk to the lady's seemingly gentle face. As a young child Shinkirou had always been a good tractable child, but lately the boy had become a royal pain in places best not mentioned in polite company. And as if things were not bad enough, the boy had fallen in with a crowd of power-hungry kitsune that have been growing ever since news had spread that Lord Sesshomaru had lost a limb.

Lady Mizuiro did not believe in spoiling her children and she decided that a good thrashing verbally, mentally and physically from a supposedly crippled youkai might just be the ticket to bring the boy back to his senses.

"_And if that does not bring him back to his senses... I have borne two kits, I can bear a third."_ She thought grimly.

Mizuiro was abruptly pulled from her thoughts when her mate sent her a sharp mental nudge. Her eyes widened as she sensed the approaching cloud of pure power. She immediately collapsed to her knees in a graceful bow her eyes downcast in perfect synchronous with her mate. Behind her she heard the sound of leather-bound knee protectors hitting the ground as the twin gate keepers followed suit.

"Lord Sesshomaru... we welcome you to your home. It is our fervent wish that all of your endeavours; current and future will be successful and that you will find your accommodations suited to your every need." intoned the kitsune couple together, keeping their eyes to the grass below their feet.

Although the words were said from rote memorization of the greeting from generations past, they lacked the monotony born of sheer duty, but held the warmth of heartfelt words.

"Rise lord Kyoushin, lady Mizuiro. It is a pleasure to once again be within the confines of my ancestral home. It is also a pleasure to see the lord and lady of the golden kitsune once more." Sesshomaru greeted when he was a metre away from the kneeling youkai. He looked in askance directly into the blue eyes facing him. "However there seems to be one of your numbers that has failed to present himself this day. Perhaps the young lord Shinkirou is indisposed?" he offered politely.

Despite his mild words, the lord's eyes had narrowed shrewdly. Youkai seldom fell ill, and the lord being one himself knew that. The only possible explanation for the heir's absence could be that the said heir had **_chosen _**to absent himself.

"It is difficult to keep track of younglings these days my lord as you will find out for yourself when you sire pups of your own." lord Kyoushin answered circumspectly as he rose to his feet gracefully followed by his lady. The gate guardians also rose from their knees when Mizuiro telepathically indicated for them to do so. Kyoushin managed with some effort to keep the terror off his face as he watched the inu-youkai's eyes harden with rage as his suspicions were confirmed.

"Your child oversteps his boundaries, lord Kyoushin. I hope you realize that this is no minor transgression. The boy has slighted his lord. I assure you there will be consequences."

"It is our sincere apologies, my lord Sesshomaru that our son was unable to present himself to you upon your arrival." Lady Mizuiro interjected in her melodic voice before things could really get out of hand. "Shinkirou has lately become... intractable, and we; my mate and I have been discussing the possible removal of him from the line of succession although we have no intention of disowning him. Our daughter Misora shows talent enough to take over as the stewardess of Koukyo. If we must, we will raise a third child to be keeper of Shiyuuchi."

Mizuiro watched apprehensively as the lord of the West contemplated her words.

Sesshomaru nodded thoughtfully.

"Indeed lady Mizuiro, the thought bears merit. I will not allow a miscreant unable to obey even the simplest of orders from his lord to be in charge of my ancestral home." Sesshomaru said, his eyes returning to their familiar cold aloofness. "However, let us discuss these matters of politics later. As for now…" Sesshomaru turned towards his left where the puppy-eared hanyou in deep blue and white had until now stood stiffly, silent as death, wariness evident in his amber eyes, "I introduce to you, Inuyasha, the new younger lord of Koukyo, my half-brother through our father's line."

The kitsune lord and lady made a low respectful bow like the one Kyoushou made when she was introduced to the hanyou lord.

"We welcome you to Koukyo, lord Inuyasha. We hope you enjoy your stay at the palace and will face no inconveniences for the duration of your stay." They chorused perfectly.

The young lord returned their greeting with a tentative smile and a nod in greeting still not trusting his tongue.

"**_A beautiful creature isn't he, our young lord Inuyasha…"_** Kyoushin murmured appreciatively over their link.

Mizuiro watched as the silver-haired hanyou boy inconspicuously studied the pure white marble and limestone structure of the palace behind them in quiet awe, his eyes darting periodically in all directions. The boy looked stunning in his robes of midnight blue and his hair done up in a braid. Her hand itched with the sudden need to pet those cute furry triangles that adorned his head. She distractedly thought that perhaps having his hair down might better suit the boy's regal features.

"**_Beautiful yes... but he seems to be powerless."_** murmured Mizuiro dejectedly. **_"Shinkirou may not show the respect the young lord deserves… as you well know his behaviour is very much influenced by the apparent power of his opponent..."_**

Mizuiro sent a puzzled glance to her mate when he chuckled into her mind.

"_**Look again my lady... this boy maybe the answer to your wishes… look deeper with your inner eye as you were trained in your maiden days and you will discover that your disappointment is indeed superfluous!"**_

Mizuiro did as her mate requested and nearly lost composure at what she saw. Where lord Sesshomaru's power manifested itself as a large billowing golden aura surrounding his person stretching for metres across, lord Inuyasha's saigen was visible only as a blindingly bright golden sheet wrapped tightly around his person barely an inch off his skin. Such incredible control at such a young age was truly remarkable. His ability to control his saigen with such finesse put him on par with the palace sorceress Kannagi.

She felt her mate's eyes narrow speculatively.

"**_The pup hides many secrets my lady… the boy is used to concealing his presence with as much skill as our lady Kannagi..."_** Kyoushin murmured unwittingly echoing his mate's thoughts. **_"… not a revelation really considering his mixed blood… there must have been many that have wished to end his existence…"_**

"**_And failed miserably!"_ **said Mizuiro gleefully completing her mate's thought.

"_Poor… poor… Shinkirou…"_ she murmured to herself without feeling the tiniest hint of remorse for her firstborn child.

Shinkirou would soon find himself faced with a nasty surprise when he tried to defy the young lord, she predicted. Mizuiro sent the product of her vivid imaginations to her dutiful mate, earning her a stream of delighted ripples being fed into her mind... her mate's version of uproarious laughter.

"My lord Inuyasha…" she exclaimed, letting her delight show in her voice. "We are very much pleased to have you here… indeed we are! You must make yourself comfortable in your ancestral home like your brother. And we very much hope to supply you with every comfort and protection to the best ability of our clan. Also you must visit Koukyo frequently as does the lord, and as has done your father and fore-father's before you!"

She watched as the amber eyes darkened with a calculating gleam that did not belong in a face so young. They studied her carefully, searching for any hidden meaning underneath her words before breaking into a slow smile and nod of acceptance.

"I accept your greetings, Lady..." he broke off flushing.

"Mizuiro" she supplied, enjoying the blush gracing the hanyou's cheeks. It was a decided improvement over the ashen pallor he had sported earlier, she decided.

"Lady Mizuiro." he murmured gratefully. "But you should remember milady that Sesshomaru is my half-brother and not my brother and there is little that I know of my... my paternal ancestry." Inuyasha said slowly in a clipped tone, taking care to not stumble over words as he chose them.

"I must disappoint you however. I will not be visiting the palace again as it is not my home. The only reason I will be attending is because my _half-brother_ insists that it was _our father's will_ that I be reinstated into adult youkai community when I reach the age of initiation."

The smile melted off her face as the surprised Lady Mizuiro stared at the stoic young lord. Despite his politesse (which she sensed was not exercised very often), she was startled by the sheer bluntness of the carefully phrased words. It was plain as day that the hanyou lord had no desire to attend the revered annual Gathering! But before she could formulate a reply, lord Sesshomaru gracefully interjected in his cultured tones.

"Lady Mizuiro, please do not take offence at my half-brother's asperity. In due time, we will discuss the subject of Inuyasha's visitations at Koukyo." He added directing a look at the hanyou lord who promptly looked away with a huff and disregarded it. Lady Mizuiro stifled a giggle as she watched traces of frustration flit over the normally immobile features of the inu-youkai lord. Lord Sesshomaru was not used to being ignored or scoffed at and he visibly held back a snarl when he turned back to the kitsune lord and lady and said "For now, let us enter the palace. Shall I presume our quarters have already been prepared for us?"

Lord Kyoushin nodded and murmured an answer in the affirmative, asking if they would like their lunch to be served in their quarters, to which Sesshomaru assented. With that inquiry made, Kyoushin turned on his heel and led the way to the prepared rooms with his lady at his elbow and the inu siblings following behind closely.

"**_Well my lady, we shall have an interesting time at the Gathering this year it seems."_** Kyoushin murmured over their mind-link.

Behind them they could hear Inuyasha ask Sesshomaru about how the kitsune couple knew to expect them when no one can cross the Kiri no Shouheki, and Sesshomaru patiently explained the psychic powers of the golden foxes.

Lady Mizuiro laughed melodically and murmured back, **_"It is strange for our lord to be so tolerant of insolence and so patient with questions directed towards him. Did Kyoushou tell you? Lord Sesshomaru hunted ptarmigan chicks and baby rabbits for his little brother and prepared them himself? Is that not precious? I think Kyoushou is right in her speculations. Our lord Sesshomaru is quite enamoured with his pretty little hanyou brother."_**

"Kyoushou... Kyoushin... are they siblings Sesshomaru?" they heard Inuyasha question behind them.

"Yes Inuyasha..." replied the daiyoukai coolly. "Traditionally, the eldest child of the kitsune lord and lady is raised to be the steward or stewardess of Koukyo as the case may be and the younger the steward of Shiyuuchi. The mental-link between siblings is the strongest among nobility, second only to the soul-bond present between all mated youkai."

Kyoushin smirked disbelievingly at that thought. **_"Come now my mate, our lord Sesshomaru has never shown any inclination towards those of his own sex, and I do not see why a male hanyou would succeed where so many eligible female youkai have failed before."_**

Mizuiro giggled mischievously and said, **_"We will see, will we not my lord…"_**

Kyoushin raised an eyebrow at his lady's coquettish and conspiratorial tone.

"**_Mizuiro, what have you done?"_** he asked curiously, sensing his mate's delight.

"_**I assigned lord Inuyasha that room."**_

"**_Which room?"_** Kyoushin asked dubiously.

"**_That room."_** Mizuiro stated succinctly.

Kyoushin puzzled over those cryptic words before realization hit him like a tonne of bricks, stopping him in his tracks.

"YOU DID WHAT!" he exclaimed out loud, forgetting their audience.

"Is there a problem, lord Kyoushin?" Sesshomaru interjected softly.

Kyoushin turned to the daiyoukai with an embarrassed flush and bow and said, "No problem at all. My lady and I were simply discussing domestic affairs."

Sesshomaru simply hummed an assent, not entirely believing the kitsune lord, sensing the half-truth but he let the incident slide. Inuyasha chose to stay silent although the wariness that had slowly been dimming had now returned full force to his eyes.

Kyoushin resumed walking towards the palace with his mate in tow, glad that he had been let off so easily.

"_It certainly will be an interesting Gathering this year."_ Kyoushin thought dejectedly.

He could hear the faint murmurs of his mate and sister chatting with each other telepathically but he refrained from joining into their conversation. It would be for the best for his sanity he decided that he remain unaware of the plotting and scheming of the two vixens dearest to him in the entire world.

**oOoOo **

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**Character profiles of OCs created by oStilloDreamingo**

**Lady Kyoushou (****charming smile**)  
Species: Nobility - Golden Fox Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Shiyuuchi  
Status: Stewardess  
Age Group: Adult – 1000+

**Lord Kyoushin (synchronous)**  
Species: Nobility - Golden Fox Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Koukyo  
Status: Steward; Alpha male golden fox clan  
Age Group: Adult – 1200+

**Lady Mizuiro (colour of water)**  
Species: Nobility - Golden Fox Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Koukyo  
Status: Alpha female of the golden fox clan  
Age Group: Adult – 900+

**oOoOo **

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**Author's Note:**

Special thanks to my reviewers: RamiNeko, FXL, Russanya, TeeDee, Fudgi P0pZ, sleepless, All Things Anime, SonnyGoten, RKInu241, Divina14, Tryst-Inu, Sefadora Firewood, darkangel36, StolenDreamer, IvyLady, Angel no Yami and animelover6000.

**RamiNeko**:  
lol! Glad you liked the sugar-starved scenario! As for your implied question, Sesshomaru at that point only wanted to drive home the point that he was dominant. Also, he knows that Inuyasha will be with him for an entire month, so he isn't exactly in a rush to get all his answers.

**FXL**:  
Glad you enjoyed yourself! Inuyasha will have a few added skills in later chapters, which will only be extensions of his reiryoku manipulation technique.

**Russanya**:  
I like how you put it " I have always seen our Great Lord Fluffykins as being just a tad passive-aggressive". I'm glad you found my characterizations to be acceptable. (takes a load off my chest), and LOL! "I can just see Sess with a giant void stamp, saying "ok, brother. Next!"" LOL! You had me rolling on the floor with laughter after reading that. Thank you so much! That will be the basic idea as you will see in later chapters although not quite so immediately apparent as a stamp of rejection (giggles). Do keep reviewing! I always enjoy reading your thoughts. (I put it like that on purpose. I always wanted mind reading abilities!) And Yep I totally agree, Inuyasha can be pretty pig-headed at times, but I won't have him any other way. It adds to his cuteness in my books! CIAO!

**TeeDee**:  
Glad you enjoy a possessive Sesshomaru, cuz that's exactly what he's gonna be in my fic.

**Fudgi P0pZ**:  
Really? I'm glad other authors are writing fics along this line. I myself have been hunting for fics with Inuyasha and Sesshomaru in the royal setting. There aren't too many good ones. Good luck with your fic though! I look forward to reading it!

**sleepless**:  
Thanks for your review!

**All Things Anime**:  
Hope you liked the rest of the chapters, as opposed to only the first chapter! Thank you for your review!

**SonnyGoten**:  
LOL! Exactly,I so completely agree! Sesshomaru is portrayed as a very young demon in the anime. In my fic, Sesshomaru will be portrayed as a recent adult that is still growing in his ability to rule and interact with creatures he sees as being beneath his notice. Do keep reviewing! Thanks!

**RKInu241**:  
Hi! Thanks for the review. Her's the next chapter, but unfortunately, I have not addressed Inuyasha's descent here. I promise I will be doing it within the next two chapters, so please keep reading!

**Divina14**:  
Here's the update! You will find out more about Inuyasha's descent in the next two chapters! Until then, CIAO!

**Tryst-Inu**:  
LOL! I'm sorry my fic seem so slow paced! I'm rather picky on details, so its taking a while. I hope the wait doesn't bother you too much as it can't be helped. I'm almost to the Gathering! Do keep reviewing.

**Sefadora Firewood**:  
I will be portraying Lord Inutaisho (who's name is Renshoumaru for this fic, plz don't hate the name) as a dutiful father who found his son's stiffness to be an endless source of entertainment. Throughout this fic, you will be seeing instances of Father/Son interaction, in which Sesshomaru is getting teased by his father for his never-ending formality! I hope you enjoy it!

**darkangel36**:  
Too much information huh? I'm sorry you found it difficult to read. I'll try to space the informational bits of my story better from here on. Again I apologize! Do keep R&Ring.

**StolenDreamer**:  
I'm glad you appreciate the depth I put into my fic. A side-effect of depth is that it takes a long time to write the actual story, for which I hope you will forgive me. This is my first time publishing a fic on fanfiction, and I hope to make it quality work! Thanks for your review!

**IvyLady**:  
I'm glad you liked my concepts! (my sister says that ideas are very clichéd sobs) Thank you so very much for you review and PM! It gave me back my confidence. For a while there, I thought my fic was turning out to be complete NOT quality material. I wanted to stay true to the anime characterization, but still make my story work. So thank you so much for your comments! On the same note, if in the future you feel that I am not being true to my own characterizations, please do point them out. You opinion really matters to me! As for your query as to if Inuyasha's grandmother was a goddess… well not quite… You will find out for sure within the next two chapters for sure! I'm also glad you like my interpretation of Sesshomaru's constant death threat!

**Angel no Yami**:  
LOL! I'm so sorry you find my chapters to be on the short side, but unfortunately, this is the length I feel comfortable handling at a time. This fic is an epic length piece, only broken up into more edible bits if you know what I mean. Thank you for telling me to watch out for an overly nice Sesshomaru. Your comment made me go back and leech out some of the unnecessary sugar in my fic. Do keep reviewing!

**animelover6000**:  
I'm glad you are not upset! Do keep reviewing!

**oOoOo**

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**To all my readers:**

This chapter marks the beginning of the second arc of my story. You will be seeing more of Inu/Sess interaction in the next chapter. The primary reason for writing this chapter was to introduce some key characters, and give a brief look into their personalities. This way I hope the characters will seem more real when mentioned in later chapters. I would like it if someone would let me know if my OCs seem Mary-Sue-ish cuz I would like to avoid that.

That's all for now!

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**Please R & R!**

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	11. 2,2 Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha (Is it possible for me to get sued for writing a fan fiction?)

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings:** Rated M, Inucest, YAOI, swearing.

_

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_

**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

"_It certainly will be an interesting Gathering this year."_ Kyoushin thought dejectedly.

He could hear the faint murmurs of his mate and sister chatting with each other telepathically but he refrained from joining into their conversation. It would be for the best for his sanity he decided that he remain unaware of the plotting and scheming of the two vixens dearest to him in the entire world.

**oOoOo**

* * *

**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 02 – Palace of the Western Lands_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 10_**

_

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_

"HELL NO!" Inuyasha screamed from beside the window where he was pacing furiously.

"Inuyasha, do keep your voice down." Sesshomaru said calmly from his seat on the futon.

"Why do I have to stay in this room? Why not there, or that room over there or even there?" Inuyasha hissed, gesturing towards several rooms that were quite a distance away from the suite the foxes had prepared for the inu siblings.

"Inuyasha, have not been paying attention to the words of the kitsune lord and lady?" Sesshomaru asked.

Inuyasha growled in response, his ears flattening against his head in displeasure.

According to lord Kyoushin and lady Mizuiro, an internal conflict had arisen among the golden foxes with divided opinion in regards to their lord's competency in leading the West.

There was a minority faction, mostly comprised of elderly kitsune in non-crucial positions in the youkai hierarchy that resented the fact that the lord had taken a ningen child under his protection as a travelling companion. In the past, they had been incredibly pleased and relieved when the lord had made no attempt to befriend his ningen step-mother, Izayoi-hime. However, they feared that travelling in the company of the ningen child may corrupt the lord's pure youkai mind, and compel him to find humans as desirable mate material like his father before him.

Then there was another small faction that took offence to the fact that the lord had been disfigured at the hands of a hanyou child less than half his age. This faction comprised mostly of idealistic younglings who believed in the supposed supreme perfection of their daiyoukai lord. Their faith had been severely shaken when they received word of lord Sesshomaru's amputation. Several elderly power-hungry clan members; a reality faced by every tribe, had capitalized on this opportunity. They had recently begun to recruit and organize members of the kitsune clan to initiate the possible ousting of the Inu no Taisho, with the intention of establishing the golden kitsune clan as the supreme lords of the West. The inu-youkai lord's open approval of his hanyou sibling by bringing him to the palace had only added fuel to the fire. Kyoushin and Mizuiro had unhappily confirmed that Shinkirou was suspected to have been influenced by this division.

Thankfully, the plot for the possible coup d'etat had been forming for less than half a year, which to demons with their long lifespan counted as a mere moment in time. The imminent disaster could be easily avoided by nipping it in its bud; that is by recognizing and removing the key players thereby completely disassembling the potential revolt.

In light of these developments, lady Mizuiro had assigned Inuyasha the second bedroom connected to Sesshomaru's usual sleeping quarters. By Mizuiro's reckoning, it was the safest place in the palace for Inuyasha to reside to avert a possible assassination attempt on the hanyou lord. Any intruder will have to cross the daiyoukai's sleeping chambers to get to the sleeping Inuyasha.

Inuyasha knew all of this to be true, and appreciated the fact that he had been placed in the room closest to Sesshomaru to ensure his protection, but…

"Sesshomaru… I am not sleeping in your... in your..." Inuyasha sputtered, gesturing distastefully towards the room.

"My mating chambers Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru said with a smirk. "And pray tell me why not?"

"BECAUSE it is your _mating chamber_ you jackass!" Inuyasha snarled, the fur on his ears standing erect in agitation.

It was a common practice among landed youkai to have built an additional room connected to the master bedroom. This room was used by demons, as the name suggests for mating, after which they would retire to the master bedroom for the night to sleep.

The reason for the existence of this room was quite simple. With a youkai's heightened senses, it is nearly impossible to ignore the scent of recent sex in ones own bed, which would result in stimulating the sleeping youkai provoking very _vivid_ dreams. Such dreams were while on the whole quite enjoyable, they really contributed nothing to rest.

Sesshomaru watched with amusement as the hanyou boy sat down cross-legged in the middle of the floor with a huff.

"Well? If I am sleeping in there, where are you gonna... umm... do your business?" Inuyasha asked refusing to look at the daiyoukai.

Sesshomaru purposefully held his silence as he watched Inuyasha's flush on the nape of his neck visible behind the braid grow steadily darker. It was comical really how simple it was to rile the impatient hanyou.

After a few moments of silence, Inuyasha snapped his head back towards his half-brother and snarled out, "Well? What about it? And what the hell are you smirking about?"

Sesshomaru tipped his head to one side as he listened to the rise and fall of small feet as they made their way towards his chamber. He noticed that Inuyasha too had taken note of the approaching feet with his head cocked at an angle and ears swivelled towards the corridor. Sesshomaru gracefully rose to his feet, and took his little brother by his forearms as he lifted him off the ground, and set him down on the futon, seating himself beside the hanyou.

"Inuyasha, the royal mating chamber is used only by the royal mated pair and not for casual trysts, as such you need not be concerned as to where I shall carry out my 'business' as you put it." Sesshomaru said still smirking at the blushing hanyou. "This Sesshomaru has not taken a bed companion for many seasons and will willingly forego a season's pleasure in lieu of your safety. As for your own needs Inuyasha-"

"Don't bother." Inuyasha interrupted. "I don't need another room to sleep in. I won't be taking a partner." Inuyasha said in a clipped voice, his flush fading back to reveal his normally tanned skin.

"Being loyal to the miko slut are we." Sesshomaru said, his eyes narrowing in distaste.

"Shut the fc up! Have I not made it clear that I don't want either of them!" Inuyasha yelled.

"You will not swear within these walls Inuyasha, and neither will you interrupt me." Sesshomaru chastened severely. "It is just as well that you do not wish for a paramour this season, as I will not permit you to take one. As it is the year of your initiation, it would be unwise to allow you to prompt a possible mating in your lustful couplings. You may court whoever you may choose or allow yourself to be courted. But you will not have intercourse with our guests."

"Yeah, yeah I get it!" Inuyasha said huffily, rising to sit more comfortably beside his half-brother on the futon, feeling awkward about discussing his sex life or 'lustful coupling' as the daiyoukai put it.

Right on cue, there came a polite knocking from the door.

"You may enter." Sesshomaru called out not raising his voice.

The carved mahogany door slid open to reveal three young kitsune youkai, two male and one female appearing about thirteen or fourteen in human years kneeling at the threshold.

Sesshomaru indicated for them to rise.

They bowed in response, and the trio rose to their feet.

"Inuyasha, these are Koshimoto, Kerai and Dorei. It is their exclusive responsibility to man this wing of the palace, and take care of the daily needs of the royal inu youkai clan when they are in residence. In addition they are also our contacts to the alpha golden kitsune pair. Should you wish to summon Kyoushin or Mizuiro, you have simply to let them know and they will relay the message."

"My lord Sesshomaru, our lady has asked us to escort you and our lord Inuyasha to the seamstress and the blacksmith when you have finished dining. They are prepared to receive you." said Koshimoto politely, her eyes downcast respectfully.

"More clothes?" Inuyasha said frowning.

"Indeed Inuyasha, did you expect to make it through the month on one set of apparel alone?" Sesshomaru said sardonically.

Inuyasha chose to ignore the daiyoukai and watched the kitsune (who were obviously siblings) go about their duty.

Having spent years alone wearing only his haori made from the hair of the fire rat, over a white shirt and red hakama, Inuyasha had not expected to be provided with more clothing. Through years of practice, he had learned to keep his clothing in excellent condition making it possible for him to replace his clothing very infrequent.

Inuyasha watched as the girl busily moved about, pulling the table before the futon, and spreading a tablecloth over it. The boys each placed a covered tray before the inu siblings and then took their leave. All of this was done silently and efficiently.

"They don't talk much huh." Inuyasha commented dryly.

"They have been trained from birth to be attendants like their parents have been before them, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru answered agreeably as he leaned forward and removed the cover from his tray, and setting it aside. "Conversing with their masters is not part of their job description. Given our sensitive hearing resulting from our inu blood, they have been trained to be silent and communicate exclusively through telepathy."

Inuyasha nodded, taking an appreciative sniff of Sesshomaru's spiced rare deer steak. Inuyasha recognised the same fruity drink he had been served at Shiyuuchi accompanying the meal.

"Fruit cocktail." Sesshomaru said blandly noticing the hanyou's scrutiny.

"You like fruit?" Inuyasha asked as he uncovered his own tray revealing an identical meal.

Sesshomaru did not reply as he had already begun eating his steak with a fork and a knife taking a sip from his drink giving the hanyou a pointed look.

Inuyasha took the hint and followed suit.

"_No conversation during meals. I can respect that."_ Inuyasha thought as he took a bite of the juicy steak.

"Delicious…" he murmured appreciatively under his breath.

He heard his half-brother hum his agreement.

Inuyasha lifted the glass to his lips for a drink then froze before he could tip the liquid into his mouth.

Inuyasha's eyes darkened with rage as he stiffly put down the drink back on the tray.

"Sesshomaru…" Inuyasha hissed angrily. "If you wanted to kill me why didn't you just put your Tokijin through me?"

Sesshomaru looked at him in askance, and then lifted Inuyasha's glass to his nose for a sniff then he too began radiating rage.

"Essence of foxglove." he whispered, naming the poison that had been stirred into Inuyasha's cocktail.

He turned to look at the seething hanyou who was rapidly clenching and unclenching his fists.

"It is not of my doing, Inuyasha." He murmured soothingly hoping to break through Inuyasha's ire.

Sesshomaru watched as Inuyasha's head snapped up to face him and studied the daiyoukai's face intently.

Sesshomaru could see that Inuyasha was considering his words, and was studying him to detect any falsehood.

A few moments later the hanyou relaxed and looked down at his lap with a bitter smile.

"Okay, so it wasn't you. Just one of your subordinates." Inuyasha said flippantly leaning back against the futon.

Sesshomaru frowned inwardly. He did not miss the implication that he was being held responsible for his underlings actions even if they had acted without his consent.

Foxglove was a crude poison that was easily detectable by scent alone. Its effects manifest shortly after consumption, killing the victim through dehydration due to repeated diarrhoea and vomiting. Using such a crude poison in the direct presence of the lord of the lands (who happens to be an expert in poisons) suggested that the perpetrator expected Sesshomaru to take no note of the poison being used. In fact it seemed as though they believed that they were doing the lord a favour by ridding him of his bothersome hanyou brother.

"_Foxglove… used by a fox…"_ Sesshomaru thought sardonically. _"How very fitting…"_

Sesshomaru turned to look at his half-brother casually spread against the back of the couch, eyes closed seemingly unaware of his surroundings. He could sense the boy's distaste at the botched up assassination attempt. Sesshomaru knew that the halfling did not take well to being underestimated.

"Barely a half-hour in your palace and already your staff is trying to get rid of me." he heard Inuyasha murmur succinctly as he turned his head to look at the youkai through half-lidded eyes. "Is this how you treat all your guests, Aniki?"

"_Or am I just special…"_ thought Inuyasha bitterly, not voicing the obvious out loud.

"The perpetrators shall be dealt with in due time Inuyasha, do not trouble yourself." Sesshomaru replied, breaking into the uncomfortable silence that followed the hanyou's seemingly innocent comment. "For now finish your meal, or else you will not have enough time to see the seamstress before the sun goes down and your mortality becomes evident."

Sesshomaru smirked when he saw Inuyasha's eyes widened comically as he switched their drinks and took a sip of the poisoned drink.

"This Sesshomaru is immune to all poisons." He murmured smugly answering the unasked question.

He heard Inuyasha snort derisively, as the tension between them dissipated. Inuyasha turned back to the sumptuous meal giving it the attention it fully deserved, leaving Sesshomaru to do the same with his own.

**oOoOo**

"My lord, if you will please hold up your arms." The seamstress said as she flitted about the hanyou.

Inuyasha stood in the middle of the room, bored stiff as the crone moved him about like a mannequin as he was measured for his outfits for the sixth time. The seamstress's face was unlined and her eyes were bright as a maiden's, but the way she carried herself was vaguely reminiscent of the priestess Kaede, annoying the half-demon to no end.

Lord Kyoushin watched the proceedings, lounging amidst bolts of silks of many colours that were strewn across the floor haphazardly in the tailoring quarters of the artisans' wing of the palace.

"And there… " the crone said (what's her name?), after making a final note on a piece of parchment. "You may put your arm down now my lord. I have completed the measurements."

Inuyasha put his arms down with a sigh glad that that was over.

"And now we must select the fabrics the lord would like to make his to be made from." The seamstress said as a young helper came in through the door and began to pull out bolts of fabrics from the pile for selection.

Inuyasha settled down beside the fox lord with a groan.

"How much longer is this gonna take… " he whined pathetically.

Kyoushin turned away to hide a smile at that.

"You must make fabric selections for at least thirty different outfits, lord Inuyasha." the young male helper-fox replied.

Inuyasha's eyes bugged out incredulously.

"Thirty… " he whispered feeling faint. He could feel his stomach roiling as a myriad of colours and prints was rolled out in front of his for him to make his selection from.

"Thirty… " he murmured again, unable to understand why he would be even needing that many outfits.

_Hell! He wasn't even staying at the palace for that many days!_

Inuyasha stared at the fabrics with a stupefied expression on his face as the foxes waited for his judgement.

After a few moments passed with no words coming from Inuyasha, the fox lord took pity on the young hanyou and began giving out instructions as to what colours were to be chosen.

"Lord Inuyasha, our lord Sesshomaru had informed us that you prefer darker shades, do you not?" he inquired genially.

Inuyasha turned to look at him and then nodded mutely.

"Well then seamstress Shinneri, if you would use your own discretion and please select darker colours that would suit our young lord's colouration and tailor some outfits, it would be appreciated." Kyoushin informed the crone who nodded humbly. "It would be good if you would have them ready as soon as possible. In fact, please have one ready by tomorrow morning for the lord to change into."

"It will as you wish, lord Kyoushin, lord Inuyasha." the seamstress (whose name Inuyasha had once again forgotten) answered with a deep bow.

Kyoushin rose to his feet and gently pulled Inuyasha to his feet who was still in a daze state.

"We must make our way to the smithies quarters, lord Inuyasha." Kyoushin murmured. "Lord Sesshomaru is waiting for us there."

Inuyasha's head snapped up at the mention of his daiyoukai brother.

"Sesshomaru… where is he?" Inuyasha murmured distractedly as if he hadn't been listening to a word the fox had been telling him.

Kyoushin held back a sigh and just said, "If you would follow me my lord.", and led the way.

Inuyasha seemed to regain senses as they neared the smithies quarters, easily recognizable from a distance from the smell of leather, metal and burning coal.

Kyoushin paused outside the doorway allowing the hanyou to precede him into the workshop. He took a step into the workshop and spotted the hanyou lord holding Sesshomaru's only hand, stare into his eyes and dazedly murmur "Thirty" into his face.

"Thirty of what, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru asked in confusion, a little alarmed at Inuyasha's panicked state.

Kyoushin stifled a laugh at the scene.

He bowed quickly at Sesshomaru and said, "The young lord will be having thirty new outfits tailored for him, my lord."

Sesshomaru nodded upon receiving the piece of information, although he still looked a little confused.

"We will speak of this later Kyoushin." Sesshomaru replied. "I have already ordered a new set of armour for myself while you were with Inuyasha at the seamstress's. Please return to your duties. I will have Inuyasha measured for his armour myself."

Sesshomaru looked down at Inuyasha in surprise, when the hanyou whimpered pathetically at the mention of the word "measured".

"Is this gonna take very long, Aniki?" Inuyasha murmured looking like a lost child with beseeching wide open eyes.

Sesshomaru noted that Kyoushin had already taken off as commanded.

"Not very long, Otouto." Sesshomaru replied softly, not pulling his hand free, part of him glad that Inuyasha was looking up to him in his moment of insecurity. He was a little disturbed at Inuyasha's uncharacteristic display of vulnerability.

"Will there be many colours to choose from?" Inuyasha asked in the same low voice.

"_Colours?"_ Sesshomaru thought bemusedly.

Sesshomaru was incredibly glad to note that his eyes did not water up and sparkle like Rin's did when she was distressed.

"All royal armour is done traditionally in black and silver with a scattering of gems." Sesshomaru answered carefully. "Are there other colours you would prefer, Inuyasha?"

Sesshomaru felt Inuyasha squeeze his hand gratefully, and was not sure if he was glad when Inuyasha released it from his grip.

"No silver and black is good." Inuyasha said quietly taking a step back.

"My lord…" interjected an apprentice fox smith dubiously from the side, unsure if he should interrupt the bizarre conversation "if I may…"

Sesshomaru nodded to the smith.

"Yes, please take your measurements, and be quick about it. Have the standard set of armour made for Inuyasha. I expect at least a breastplate and arm, wrist, ankle and knee guards to be ready by the end of three days. After that you will begin to create more decorative pieces for my half-brother. Also, see to it that an array of appropriate footwear is made for Inuyasha."

"As my lord wishes." The fox smith said with a bow, and began taking the measurements.

Sesshomaru was pleased to note that as their session with the smith progressed, Inuyasha began to relax more and more and the brash, cocky attitude that endeared him so much to his friends had returned.

By the time Inuyasha had made a few choices in jewellery and they had informed the palace chef of the hanyou's preferences in food, it was almost sunset and the inu siblings hurriedly made it back to their own suite before the sun had fully set.

Inuyasha carefully set down the box full of jewels down on the dresser in his room as Sesshomaru entered the room with a black silk yukata.

Inuyasha looked at it curiously as Sesshomaru set it down on the bed.

"Your nightwear." Sesshomaru said answering Inuyasha's curiosity.

Inuyasha nodded gratefully. As he sat down beside his brother on the bed with the folded robe placed in between them. Inuyasha stifled a yawn surprised that he was so exhausted. He turned his face away when he felt the transformation take effect.

Sesshomaru watched fascinated as Inuyasha's tresses darkened, beginning at the roots spreading to the tips and his ears positioned themselves lower on his head taking on the familiar round human shape like Rin's. Inuyasha's scent shifted from the scent of rain water to the fresh sweet scent of a human infant. Sesshomaru could see that Inuyasha's claws had already morphed into harmless human nails.

The entire process took about ten seconds to complete.

"We'll start the ritual for your healing first thing tomorrow, Sesshomaru." Inuyasha began abruptly, in his usual cocky tone, although his voice did seem a tad higher than usual. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable with being about Sesshomaru in his human form. "I don't want anyone to enter our suite for the next two days. Only the fox girl, Koshi- umm…"

"Koshimoto." Sesshomaru supplied as he picked up a dark lock and felt it between his fingers.

"_Soft…"_

He noted that Inuyasha was simply nervous and was not exhibiting any signs of fear.

"Yeah, Koshimoto… she can bring us food during mealtimes. And other things I might need. Tell her to leave the food in the living room, and I'll take it inside from there."

Sesshomaru picked up Inuyasha's hand. Inuyasha allowed him to study the declawed hand for a few seconds before drawing it back.

"Perhaps it will be better if a sorceress and a healer were present to oversee…" Sesshomaru tried suggesting.

"NO!" Inuyasha interjected vehemently, snapping his head to glare at the youkai. "No one else… " Inuyasha murmured softening his tone, but stubbornly continuing. "…just us… you and me… I don't want anyone else watching… "

Sesshomaru barely registered the boy's words as he stared at Inuyasha in awed silence.

_"Blue… he has dark gray blue eyes."_ Sesshomaru noted. "_Not the unnatural violet like his mother."_

Inuyasha noticed Sesshomaru's scrutiny and realized that the youkai was looking at his human form. Inuyasha looked down at his hands in his lap, flustered.

Sesshomaru briefly wondered if the boy was more handsome in his human or his half-demon form. His full demon form certainly left a lot to be desired in its feral madness.

"Very well Inuyasha… none but ourselves… however, I will have the ladies summoned to our quarters on the morning of the third day." Sesshomaru said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Inuyasha sighed dejectedly and muttered a 'fine, whatever' under his breath.

"Anyways… umm… yeah I need to rest to prepare for tomorrow… so umm could you… umm… leave now…" Inuyasha said, haltingly hating how nervous he sounded. He had said what he needed to and now he wanted the daiyoukai gone.

"Certainly Inuyasha... you must rest… " Sesshomaru said agreeably not taking his eyes off the former hanyou, easily seeing through Inuyasha discomfort with his presence.

Sesshomaru took Inuyasha's yukata from the bed and placed it in his lap, incidentally moving closer to human in the process.

"I will see you tomorrow." he murmured against the human ear.

Inuyasha turned to face Sesshomaru and nearly jumped out of his skin when he found himself looking into metallic eyes inches from his face. He felt the youkai cup his face with a hand and whisper a soft 'goodnight' against his lips and disappearing from sight before he could make a protest.

Inuyasha lifted his hands to his lips, uncertain as to what to feel. His heart was hammering in his chest, making Inuyasha clench his fist on his chest. He took a few deep shuddering breaths and calmed himself.

"_What the hell was that about?"_ Inuyasha thought wildly. _"Is he? He's not is he…? What am I thinking?"_

His mind was in turmoil and he wasn't sure what to make of Sesshomaru's advances… if that is what they were. He could several of the emotions going through his mind.

… _outrage_ … angry that a kiss had been stolen from him by his jackass half-brother… the bastard who had never been there for him in his times of need… the scoundrel who had molested him in his sleep… the… the creep… (Inuyasha was running out of insults) who always threatened to end his life but never got around to actually doing the deed…

… _fear_… he was at his weakest… he had voluntarily put himself at the mercy of said jackass for a month… (not coming voluntarily would have meant being dragged to the palace kicking and screaming… not the best way to make his debut at the palace…)

… _confusion_… the whole day had been one big jumble to him… too many colours… too many choices_… too many changes…_ Inuyasha did not have very much to chose from in all his life and had learnt to be content what little he had… today had been decidedly _overwhelming_… putting it lightly…

… and… _safe_… he had never felt so secure… his half-brother would not let him come to harm… or is to insecure? … who was going to protect to him from _Sesshomaru_…

Inuyasha wasn't sure how long he sat there in shock with a hand on his tingling lips.

The kisses he had shared with Kikyo had always been chaste… her priestess training would not allow her to do more than that before matrimony… but none of them had felt quite so… _quite so… _

Inuyasha sighed in frustration… he did not know how they felt… just that they were different…

"_but not unwelcome…"_ the thought floated in his mind, which he deliberately squashed. No he did not just think that. He was just tired and confused. He'll be better tomorrow after a nap.

He was not sure how he had managed to get changed into the yukata nor did he remember tucking himself into the bed under the soft silken sheets. With immense surprise Inuyasha realized that… for the first time in his entire existence spanning two centuries… he felt safe… protected…

"_I need to rest… that is all there is to it…" _Inuyasha reasoned with himself._ "Sesshomaru needs my help so I know he will keep me safe… Yeah… that's why I feel so protected…" _

Inuyasha yawned widely, revealing a completely human set of dentures (although the canines were a tad longer than normal).

_This day had been tiring and the coming days would be even more so… his body needed rest… that was why he was able to go to sleep on his mortal night for the first time since… since his mother's death…_ Inuyasha told himself over and over again, almost succeeded in convincing himself.

Inuyasha felt himself slowly slipping away into the realm of dreams, unaware of a pair of metallic golden eyes tracking his every move from a hidden alcove in the room.

**oOoOo**

_**

* * *

Author's Note: **_

Special thanks to my reviewers: DemonGoddess061, Kibou32, mestars, Silvermane1, Princess Shela, sydneydallas, girlofmanynames, EmeraldSnake11, The Great Susinko, Editor Crawl, Angel no Yami, Yami Polka Dot, Tsumetai Taiyoukai, Sekre, TeeDee, sleepless, RamiNeko, ryougabriellucile, ...confused, Slate Grey, cherry fantasy, Russanya, SonnyGoten, Demitria Miriam, lelann37, Sesshygirl, RKInu241, Sefadora Firewood, darkangel36, StolenDreamer, All Things Anime, Natasha AKA Tash, twitchyfingers, IvyLady, petpeeves12 and animelover6000.

**DemonGoddess061, EmeraldSnake11:**  
Glad you are enjoying the story. Also it makes me really happy that someone appreciates the detail I put into my fic! Rather late, but here is the next chapter! Hope it answers all your questions. If not mention It in your review and I'll try to answer it!

**Kibou32:**  
LOL! Sorry to push your buttons! Heres the next chapter! I hope it answers all your questions!

**mestars, Silvermane1, Princess Shela, Tsumetai Taiyoukai, TeeDee, sleepless, lelann37, littlefiction, Sesshygirl, StolenDreamer, All Things Anime, twitchyfingers, petpeeves12:**  
Thank you for your review! Glad you are enjoying it! I'll try to keep the OCs non Mary-sue-ish!

**sydneydallas:**  
LOL! I don't read too many Inuyasha fics myself! I'm glad you are liking mine though! Keep reading! I hope you enjoy yourself!

**girlofmanynames:**  
Reviews are enticement a plenty! Here's the next chapter!

**The Great Susinko:**  
I always look forward to your reviews, late or otherwise and I'm glad that you haven't lost interest! I hope you continue reading and enjoying my fic! Here's the next update!

**Editor Crawl:**  
LOL! You are my only reviewer who showed any interest in seeing what happens between the rebel factions, and OMG you made my day! I hope the explanation of the youkai politics is clear and does not take away from the general enjoyment of the fic. Keep reading and reviewing!

**Angel no Yami:**  
I must have gotten you really mad with the very late update! I'm so sorry to disappoint. I think it will also upset you to note that both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are not very in character for this chapter, but believe me I have my reasons. (Primarily that everyone s just too confused with the changes and are having difficulty adjusting to them.) The inu siblings will get back into character very soon, I promise!  
Yami Polka Dot: Ummm thank you for your review… not entirely certain what you meant by your comment… but thanks for reading and reviewing…

**Sekre:**  
I have disappointed you haven't I? First you complement me on frequent updates, and then I update really late! I swear I had my reasons, which will be addressed to all readers if you will scroll down. I'm glad you like my portrayal of the Canon and OCs in my story! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**RamiNeko:**  
Glad you enjoyed the kitsune characterization and politics! Your reactions are exactly what I hoped for when I was writing this chapter! I hope you will be reading this chapter. I haven't published in a while so… you might have lost interest… but I hope not… do let me know if my fic is growing tedious! Thanks!

**ryougabriellucile:**  
I'm glad you are enjoying the humour aspect of my fic! My beta reader (who happens to be my younger sister) says my humour totally sucks. Glad someone is enjoying it!

**...confused:**  
Umm thanks for the review! I'd suggest you go back and carefully reread chapter one. I think it will make sense to you. It is pretty explicitly put. The previous law only allowed for participation of youkai at the gathering. The new law makes it possible for anyone with demon blood, including hanyous to attend. Hope that clears your confusion.

**Slate Grey:**  
Hey! Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like my charater portrayals! They might go a little OC every now and then, but then again I expect my reviewers will point ot to me when I have stepped beyond the realm of possibility. Yep I can tell that you like my fic and I'm glad that you approve of my OCs.

**cherry fantasy:**  
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm glad you liked my fic so much! I hope you continue reading and reviewing! (I'm a bit fond of explanations in stories… could you let me know if I am going overboard with them… thanks!)

**Russanya:**  
I'm glad you approve of my OCs! There is a quiz on mediaminer that tells you if your OC is a Mary Sue. LOL turns out that according to that quiz, my OCs are definite Mary Sues. But I'm going to blithely igmore the quiz results and go with my reviewers opinion! Thank you! You said that you might do fanart for my fic… that would be great! If you do make any drawings, do let me know where to find them! And the answer to your question: "Are the kitsunes the only youkai that can speak mind to mind? The only reason why I ask is cuz I read a fic of late where the inuyoukai can too". Answer: All youkai belonging to noble clans are able to communicate telepathically. Golden foxes are nobility. Silver Dogs are not. All mated demons are able to communicate telepathically, but the mind link takes a long time to develop. Anyways, her's the next chapter, hope you enjoy yourself!

**SonnyGoten:**  
And now you know what the room is! Keep reading!

**Demitria Miriam:**  
Glad you liked the foxes! Heres my next chapter! I hope you enjoy it!

**RKInu241:**  
Good guess!!! Then again I guess it was kind of obvious from the start wasn't it? Do keep reading!

**Sefadora Firewood, darkangel36:**  
Well the mysterious room question has been answered… fox brat coming up pretty soon, so please be patient. Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

**Natasha AKA Tash:**  
LOL! Here's where the shonen-ai action begins. Hope you like the plot as well!

**thr3e:**  
Thanks! I'm glad you are enjoying yourself and I hope your computer has been resurrected! (You mentioned it had gone to heaven.) I hope you like this latest chapter!

**IvyLady:**  
Yep! Definitely there will be more foxy action! You asked me "why was Inuyasha in such a snit?" Well you see Inuyasha came along with his brother only because it was their father's wish. That does not mean he likes being thee. Inuyasha is used to being alone, so being dependant on anyone pisses him off I guess. Hope that answers your question! LOL! I haven't updated in a while, which makes me wonder if you will even be reading this next chapter. I hope you do! Your opinion is always valuable to me.

**animelover6000:**  
Yep! The room Inuyasha is in is beside Sesshomaru's! And no none of the parent figures are returning in my story. Hope you enjoy this latest chapter!

**oOoOo**

* * *

_**To all my readers: **_

Hi!

It has been a while since I last updated! My family has blocked on my home computer, so I did not have access to this website! Anyways, my beta-reader has offered to post my fic using her school computer, so thanks to her, you will be getting to read the latest chapter! Future updates will be dependant upon her grace. I hope to have the next chapter up by next Friday! That's all for now!

As a side note: Foxglove really is a poisonous plant. I did not make it up. It does affect the victim the way I described it in the fic.

Oh! I had a question for any of my readers out there who is fluent in Japanese. The word "hanyou", is it as offensive as the English word "half-breed", or does it simply mean "half-demon"?

I wasn't too sure. At one point in my story I had one of my OCs refer to Inuyasha as the "hanyou lord", but my Beta reader had me change it to "young lord" as she thought that saying "hanyou lord" would be offensive.** I hope someone will be able to answer my query.**

**Please R & R!**


	12. 2,3 Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings:** Rated M, Inucest, YAOI, swearing.

* * *

**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

Inuyasha yawned widely, revealing a completely human set of dentures (although the canines were a tad longer than normal).

_This day had been tiring and the coming days would be even more so… his body needed rest… that was why he was able to go to sleep on his mortal night for the first time since… since his mother's death…_ Inuyasha told himself over and over again, almost succeeded in convincing himself.

Inuyasha felt himself slowly slipping away into the realm of dreams, unaware of a pair of metallic golden eyes tracking his every move from a hidden alcove in the room.

**oOoOo**

* * *

**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 02 – Palace of the Western Lands_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 11_**

_**Moon Phase: **New Moon  
**Mating Season: **Day 1; Began at Sunrise_

* * *

Inuyasha popped another candy into his mouth as he felt the previous one dissolve in his mouth; joining the bitter Ephedra leaf. He had been chewing the pale green fleshy leaves to stay awake. In his trance-like state there was always a very real danger than he might drift off into sleep, which could seriously jeopardize the spell casting. 

Inuyasha could feel the smooth contours of the milky white stone in his left hand pulsing with Power. He carefully siphoned the stored saigen into his left hand and moulded it using his own saigen. He then channelled the extracted saigen through his body's inner coils and forcefully injected the bolt of power into his half-brother through the fingertips of his right hand that rested lightly on Sesshoumaru's left shoulder blade near the amputated limb.

Inuyasha could feel the daiyoukai's flesh shudder underneath his fingertips every time the hanyou sent another bolt of concentrated saigen lancing through the youkai.

He felt sorry for his half-brother… almost…

Apparently Sesshomaru's absolute immunity to poisons had the side-effect that made it impossible for any kind of depressants or painkillers to take effect on his body. Sesshomaru even had Koshimoto bring in the leaves of the Deadly Nightshade as a last resort. The Deadly Nightshade, which as the name suggests, is fatal to almost all creatures but had served quite well as a mild sedative in the dog lord's childhood. However it had absolutely no effect on the now adult daiyoukai and was thus completely useless.

Inuyasha felt Sesshoumaru shudder again and sighed inwardly.

_"Every ability must come with a cost. It is the way of Nature." _

Inuyasha remembered his mother's words as he felt Sesshomaru shudder under his hand violently as another nasty spike of saigen hit him, draining the last of the reserves from the white keystone.

"_Hence there is no such thing as an all-powerful being."_

Inuyasha keenly felt the truth of those words as he watched the bare-chested sweat-dripping form of the supreme Lord of the Western Lands clad only in a pair of hakama heave deep ragged breaths sitting cross-legged in a pool of his own blood on the carpet.

Inuyasha sympathised with his half-brother, remembering the raw torture of speed regeneration from the time he had to completely regenerate his intestines after the attack by Juromaru and Kageromaru.

He opened his fist and let the spent keystone; that was now more translucent than opaque, join its companions in the tray before him.

Inuyasha noted the position of the sun through the window. It was a little past noon and Inuyasha decided it was time for a break. His stomach growled in agreement.

Inuyasha voiced that thought of taking a break, to which Sesshoumaru readily agreed.

Inuyasha retrieved a roll of bandages that Sesshomaru had the forethought to provide him with, and wrapped the end of the partly regenerated limb with it.

It pleased him to note that Sesshomaru's upper arm had been almost completely regenerated. By sunset tonight, he should be able to regenerate the elbow joint and a few inches of the forearm. The joints were always the trickiest to regenerate, requiring him to channel saigen more fluidly, despite its natural inclination to behave like erratic bolts of lightning. The best he could manage was to break up the flood of saigen released from the keystone into thousands of tiny streams, and then force them to flow in small consistent increments.

Inuyasha preferred to use his reiryoku over his saigen because of its almost fluid-like consistency when used in spell-craft. The power that arose from reiryoku manipulation was always weaker than that which arose from using saigen. However, reiryoku manipulation was a more precise art requiring only a few decades to perfect as opposed to centuries of constant practice needed for saigen manipulation. After all humans did have shorter life spans.

Inuyasha watched as Sesshomaru went to the private bathing chamber of the suite to rid himself of the blood and sweat.

The imperial palace – Koukyo had indoor plumbing just like his grandmother's estate at Seido. Inuyasha had been pleasantly surprised to make this discovery that morning when he had asked Sesshoumaru where he might freshen up. The hanyou could hear sounds of the shower being turned on as Sesshoumaru bathed, while he waited for his turn patiently.

Inuyasha looked down at himself and grimaced noting the bloodied state of his own clothing. He still wore the black yukata Sesshoumaru had provided the night before, with nothing else underneath. But knowing that whatever outfit he wore that day would be destroyed beyond repair, Inuyasha could not bring himself to change into the beautiful forest green outfit accompanied by a several sets of undergarments that Shinneri the seamstress had sent him that morning.

Inuyasha looked up when he heard the door to the bathing chamber slide open and then hastily looked down again a blush spreading across the bridge of his nose.

Sesshoumaru clad in only a tiny white towel with his damp hair clinging to his sculpted form and his tail wrapped around his left leg. He made his way to the closet and withdrew a white yukata that he donned while Inuyasha's eyes were averted.

He placed an identical yukata on the bed and told Inuyasha to change into it when he was done cleaning up. Inuyasha nodded as he made his way to the bathing chamber. He noted that Sesshoumaru had pulled on the blue and gold tassel beside the door that functioned as a bell used to summon Koshimoto to their quarters.

As the door closed behind him, Inuyasha dropped his bloodied yukata to the floor, joining Sesshoumaru's soiled clothes and turned on the shower letting a spray of hot water hit his body relaxing his tense muscles. Over the sound of the water, Inuyasha could hear Sesshoumaru giving orders to Koshimoto to replace the area rug and clean up the blood on the floor followed by instructions for lunch.

Once he was clean, Inuyasha grabbed a clean fluffy towel from the closet near the sink and dried himself, then tied it around his waist. He listened carefully for any sounds, and came out only when he was certain that Sesshoumaru was not in the room. He quickly donned the yukata brushed his hair roughly into some semblance of order and then made his way to the living room.

In the living room, Inuyasha spotted Sesshoumaru sitting on the futon with Koshimoto behind him gently combing the tangles out of his hair. Koshimoto bowed to the siblings and took her leave as she finished brushing out the last of the tangles. She then made her way to the bathing chamber to gather the discarded clothes.

Inuyasha noticed that Koshimoto had already set up the table for lunch and took a seat in a chair across from Sesshoumaru, taking in the spread before them.

Inuyasha had noticed early on that the demon customs had little in common with human customs, and this seemed to be especially true for eating customs.

When he feasted with his shard hunter pack in some nobles home, they would be seated on the floor and would be eating from small wooden platforms. On the platform would be served cooked rice on a plate accompanied with a miniature sample of every dish presented to them in small portion sized bowls.

This mode of dining was not followed at all in the table set before him.

Set before him on the table was a set of plates of assorted sizes placed one on top of the other with a bowl on top and beside the dishes was present a set of silver cutlery. The food was spread in the centre of the table buffet style in large full serving dishes.

Inuyasha remembered his mother's lessons in appropriate table manners and realized that this style of eating mimicked the habits of the fair haired, pale eyed ningen in the North that his mother had told him tales about in his childhood. At that time, Inuyasha could not see the usefulness of learning an eating tradition of people that in all likelihood he was never going to meet, let alone dine with given his mixed blood. He sent his mother a silent prayer of gratitude as he began to serve himself some food following Sesshoumaru's example.

Now that Inuyasha thought about it, the setup used by Kagome's family was a curious blend of the two traditions.

Inuyasha noted that Sesshoumaru's meal selection was curiously devoid of any greens and consisted of only rarest of the meats mildly spiced. For himself, Inuyasha selected a dish of meat cooked to perfection smothered in a rich sauce accompanied by cooked rice and stewed potatoes.

After their silent meal, Sesshoumaru pulled on another blue and gold tassel, summoning Koshimoto who immediately cleared the dishes and had them replaced.

Inuyasha bemusedly noted that the tassels had been cleverly worked into the decoration scheme of the suite making it so that one never had to move very far to find one.

Fed and refreshed, the inu siblings returned to the freshly aired room, and began another torturous session of regeneration on the daiyoukai. Sesshoumaru tensed when Inuyasha invoked his reiryoku web and enmeshed it with the youkai's inner coils allowing Inuyasha to visualize the daiyoukai's physical anatomy. He kept the technique active as he carefully rebuilt Sesshoumaru's elbow joint, using the youkai's intact arm as blueprint and making a reverse copy. Inuyasha could hear Sesshoumaru's laboured breaths as he slowly built and cleaved the bone, flesh and nerves until they were perfect. It was process of hit and miss and it took the hanyou over twenty tries before he got the joint just right.

Originally Inuyasha had intended to stop the ritual for the day at sunset by when he would have completed the forearm. But having noted the difficulties he had encountered regenerating the simple hinge and pivot joints in the elbow, Inuyasha did not want to stop until he had at least restored the very precise gliding joints in the wrist. Otherwise the ritual may take as long as three days as opposed to the previously allotted two days of time.

By the time Inuyasha had achieved his goal for the day, it was well past midnight. The inu siblings took a late shower and meal.

Too exhausted for conversation, or even call for Koshimoto to help clear away the bloody mess they had once again created, the inu siblings went straight to bed.

As the hanyou's head hit the pillow, Inuyasha had the vague notion to throw Sesshoumaru out of the bed as they were in the mating chamber. However sleep claimed his exhausted mind and body before he could voice the thought.

Sesshoumaru studied his almost completed left arm and felt a tired smile tug at his face. He could move the limb about as he desired, but the sense of touch and temperature was still absent. Sesshoumaru in his half a millennium of existence had never been subjected to such excruciating pain. But as he looked at his almost limb, he felt a heavy burden lift off of him.

Sesshoumaru harboured no illusions. He knew that the next session of regeneration would be even more excruciating than what he had been exposed to today as each finger bone and joint was shaped precisely. But to be complete once more… it was worth all the pain and more.

Sesshoumaru pulled the hanyou closer to him and nuzzled the furry ears. As he breathed in the hanyou's unique scent and sleep stole over him, it occurred to him that it was rather pleasant to share a bed with a warm body.

**oOoOo**

* * *

_**Mating Season: **__Day 2_

* * *

Inuyasha woke up the next day as he sensed the first rays of sunshine spill over the horizon. He yawned widely and jumped out of bed. Inuyasha looked back and realized that his half-brother was no where to be seen. 

Fixing his yukata, Inuyasha made his way to Sesshoumaru's bedroom and was surprised to see that the blood on the floor had been cleaned.

_"How long have I been sleeping? It could not have been more than four or five hours." _

He quickly freshened up in the bathing chamber (no soiled clothes on the floor, he noted) and made his way to the living room. In the living room, he saw that breakfast had as of yet not been served and his half-brother was seated on the futon reading through various scrolls placed on the side table, his face rigid with fury.

"Sesshoumaru…" Inuyasha called tentatively.

Sesshoumaru swivelled his head and turned to look at the hanyou.

Inuyasha took a step back in surprise as he caught sight of the bloodlust in those cold metallic eyes.

Sesshoumaru seeing this immediately made an effort to reign in his anger, and calmly held out a hand to the hanyou.

Inuyasha gave a tentative nod, glided across the room and stood before his half-brother uncertainly watching the outstretched hand.

When the youkai showed no signs of withdrawing his hand, the hanyou placed his hand in his half-brother's with an exasperated sigh. Inuyasha yelped when he was violently pulled forward and held with the crushing embrace of the mighty youkai. Inuyasha flailed around trying to free himself, demanding to be unhanded. Predictably Sesshoumaru did no such thing and blatantly ignored the hanyou's demands. Eventually, the hanyou boy calmed, sulking at his inability to free himself.

He grew alarmed when he sensed Sesshoumaru begin to envelop him with his own saigen.

"Sesshoumaru! What the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha called out flailing about again.

"Be still Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru growled out harshly in the inu tongue.

Inuyasha froze immediately recognizing the underlying threat in those words.

Inuyasha lay still in his half-brother's arms, waiting for an answer. He allowed the daiyoukai's long fluffy tail to wind around their form bringing them closer together still, but batted away the hand when his half-brother attempted to pet his ears.

They were locked in a stare down with neither inu willing to submit to the other. After what seemed like an eternity, Inuyasha looked away from the daiyoukai accepting defeat but held his head high defiantly.

To his immense surprise he felt Sesshoumaru chuckling silently.

"What is this about?" Inuyasha demanded to know.

Sesshoumaru held his silence a few moments longer before answering with the words, "You belong here."

"Say What?" Inuyasha said perplexed, pulling away as far as he could within the unrelenting grip of the inu youkai.

"You belong here… with me… I, Sesshoumaru, son of Lord Renshoumaru and Lady Suzuran, Lord of the West, hereby proclaim."

Confused, Inuyasha looked around to see Koshimoto silently set the table for breakfast.

"Sesshoumaru… Who exactly are you proclaiming to? There's no one here." Inuyasha said, thinking that yesterday's torture session may have seriously damaged the youkai's sanity.

Of course that does assume that the said youkai once possessed some degree of sanity.

"You are here as you should be." Sesshoumaru continued as if Inuyasha had not spoken. "It is our will, the royal clan of the West. No one else has any say in the matter."

Inuyasha looked into the now calm eyes of his youkai sibling as realization flooded him. He glanced towards the pile of scrolls, only now noting that there were about forty or so in the pile.

"_No wonder he's so pissed."_, Inuyasha thought.

Inuyasha knew from experience that if there was anything the youkai despised most in the world, it was to have his authority challenged. Inuyasha gleefully capitalized on the fact by challenging his half-sibling at every opportunity.

"Who are those scrolls from?" Inuyasha asked shrewdly, cocking his head at an angle gesturing towards the scrolls. "They don't want me here do they?"

Sesshoumaru would have snorted if it weren't beneath his dignity, instead he settled for looking sardonically amused.

"They are from a few of the youkai clans settled in the West." Sesshoumaru replied. "They fear that the _integrity_ and _sanctity_ of the Gathering would be… _tarnished_ should a creature with ningen blood be present within the bounds of Koukyo during mating season."

"And you don't agree with them?" Inuyasha asked, his head tipped forward, eyes shadowed under his bangs. A bitter smile showed on his visage.

"I do not." Sesshoumaru affirmed.

Inuyasha snorted lightly. (Snorting was not beneath his dignity.)

"Then where is the ningen child you like totting around with you so much?" Inuyasha hissed softly. "Why isn't she here?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes grew cold, but Inuyasha did not back down. Not that there was anywhere to go considering that he was still within the youkai's embrace.

"Inuyasha…" Sesshoumaru enunciated carefully. "You of all people should know the peril a human would be in faced with an upper class demon in heat let alone a palace full of them. Why do you believe that this Sesshoumaru would endanger a ningen child?"

"Oh? You care for a mere mortal's wellbeing?" Inuyasha asked innocently. "Then where is she now."

Sesshoumaru did not rise to the bait. He could sense that the hanyou was testing him.

"_But what is he testing me for?"_ Sesshoumaru wondered.

Initially, Sesshoumaru had allowed the ningen child to travel with him because the child amused him. It fascinated him to see the perfect trust in those fearless eyes the absolute loyalty that was prized among the inu youkai. But as time went by, Sesshoumaru had found himself growing increasingly protective of the child. With every passing moment, the youkai learned more about ningen race from the naïve child than he ever cared to know and eventually, he grudgingly came to admit to himself that maybe his father had not completely lost his sanity when he chosen to take a ningen as a mate. He remembered it was also his father's doing to have allied the royal demons of the Western lands with the ningen samurai and the taijiya clans and certainly the alliance had brought much peace to the land as the mortals helped in policing renegade humans and lesser youkai respectively. It had shaken him to the core when Naraku had captured his helpless ningen charge. Only then did he realize how much attached he had grown to the ningen child Rin. The girl child that had not even seen ten springs had succeeded where his own revered father had failed in teaching the inflexible youkai to respect the human race.

"Rin is currently residing with the Samurai clan, loyal to the royals of the Western lands." Sesshoumaru temporized, conveniently evading the first question as he was not sure he had an answer that would satisfy the distrustful hanyou in his lap. "She had voiced a desire to be better able to defend herself in battle." Sesshoumaru clarified. "From the samurai, she may well be able to learn to defend herself against critical injury before the month comes to an end. She will also be familiarizing herself with ningen customs as before too long she herself will become an adult. She will need to possess traits that would make ningen male to find her attractive so that she could find herself a mate."

"Not mate." Inuyasha corrected. "Husband."

Sesshoumaru looked into the amber eyes that were staring into his incredulously, with a touch of respect. The bitter smile no longer adorned his visage as it held an expression of wonder that soon melted into a rueful smile.

"Aniki..." He murmured thoughtfully, raising one hand to idly touch the crescent moon marking on the daiyoukai's forehead with his claws. "You were never one to think beyond yourself…"

"_Father would have been so proud."_ Inuyasha thought, surprising himself by thinking so fondly of a man he had never known or so warmly of another that had tried to slay him so many times.

Inuyasha stabbed Sesshoumaru's forehead with a bolt of saigen causing the youkai to balk making him loosen his grip on the hanyou. Inuyasha quickly sprang back and turned away so that his half-brother would not see the content smile gracing his face.

"You were right." Inuyasha murmured after a moment's consideration, so softly Sesshoumaru had to strain even with his inu heritage to listen. "I belong here."

"I'm starving! Let's have breakfast!" Inuyasha said abruptly breaking the mood, striding towards the dining table. Koshimoto had long since finished setting the table and departed while they were still conversing. "I want to finish regenerating your fingers by tonight, so eat up quick."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and wordlessly followed the hanyou and took his seat at the table. He served himself as Inuyasha was already doing without waiting for his elder sibling to begin as tradition dictated, but as there were no witnesses, he let it slide deeming it be a minor transgression.

As they dined, neither sibling said a word, enjoying the lack of animosity in the air that had been seldom the case between them.

Taking a sip from his glass, Sesshoumaru realized that he had passed the test.

"_We have reached a truce"_, Sesshoumaru realized noting the quiet peaceful expression on the hanyou's face.

_"So this is what it feels like…"_ Inuyasha thought wondrously, savouring the heady feeling.

_"You belong here."_ Inuyasha recalled Sesshoumaru's words.

"_This is what it feels like…"_ Inuyasha thought. _"This is what it feels like to come home. I have a home now. I am home…"_

**oOoOo**

* * *

_**Author's Note: **_

**Special thanks to my reviewers:** Demitria Miriam, Gabby, DemonGoddess061, Sesshygirl, Raincurtain, TeeDee, Kibou32, thr3e, RKInu241, Silvermane1, Polka, C-loke, Kage no Tenshi, Natasha AKA Tash, Sekre, shadowdreamer Lady Fate, petpeeves12, sleepless, animelover6000, zoisyte, The Great Susinko, irat, littlefiction, Angel no Yami, lelann37, darkangel36, Yazoo1, EmeraldSnake11, the blasphemous, Editor Crawl, Jester08, Shinimegami7, Ladykaa28, IvyLady, koishii-tenshi, girlofmanynames and Miaka Kennyuuki.

**Demitria Miriam:**  
I'm so glad you reviewed! You are the only person who commented on the poisoning scenario and I'm glad you liked it!;  
And yep, it is definitely Sesshoumaru who was watching him. LOL! I can't have Sesshoumaru molesting him just yet, but it sure is coming up pretty soon! I hope you keep reading and reviewing!

**DemonGoddess061**:  
My beta says: you're welcome! As you can see, Sesshoumaru's arm is almost fully regenerated. Bit of foxy politics coming up in the next chapter! Do keep reading and reviewing!

**Sesshygirl**:  
I'm glad you picked up on that tiny piece of information! It will come into play later on in the story when Inuyasha's past is discussed. I hope you liked this new chapter! Do review!

**Raincurtain**:  
Best chapter yet? THANK YOU! I'm glad you liked it! I personally felt that given more time I could have made it flow better, but then inspiration had momentarily deserted me. I hope you like this new chapter! Do let me know what you thought of the interaction between the inu siblings in this chapter!

**TeeDee**:  
Yep! Got it right in one go! I was kinda disappointed that so many of my readers could not pick up on it that only Sesshoumaru has golden eyes and that the foxes have blue eyes. Maybe I was not explicit enough. I do hope you keep reviewing!

**Kibou32:**  
I'm so glad that reading my fic helped you out. It happens to me too. On a really bad day I sometimes lock myself up in my room and dig up my favourite novels. It helps to get away from reality sometimes. I'm sorry I couldn't update sooner. My inspiration comes and goes as it pleases and I had managed to complete this chapter only on Saturday, a day past my promised publishing date. Nevertheless, here's the new chapter. I hope you like it.  
As for your question, mating season will last an entire month, starting at a new moon and ending on the next new moon.  
Also, I had my beta email me your latest fic and I love it so far. I would send you a PM, but is blocked on my home computer. Do you think you could include your email address in your next review? That way I will be able to get back to you sooner. Else I will try to find myself a public computer to access from and can post my review there. I promise to include constructive criticism. I know how much it helps with the writing process.  
Oh and thank you for pointing out that I had omitted a word accidentally. And yes I meant to use the word "roiling" at that point. The way I used that word then meant that Inuyasha was feeling nauseous.  
I have put together a mini-essay at the bottom of this page in regards for the usage of the word "hanyou". I hope it helps you out!  
Do keep reading and reviewing! Hope to hear from you soon!

**RKInu241**:  
I am soooo sorry I made you wait! Circumstances would not allow me to post earlier. I'm sure you understand! I hope you like this new chapter as much as the last! Please do review!

**Silvermane1:**  
Thanks for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

**Polka**:  
Nope! Foxes have blue eyes only! The golden eyes belong to Sesshoumaru exclusively. Inuyasha's are amber. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

**C-loke**:  
LOL! Sorry for startling you! I definitely want to see this fic through to the end, so don't despair, I shall keep posting updates… which might not be so regular…  
I'm glad you like my portrayal of the smart Inuyasha in my fic. My Beta reader finds the smart Inuyasha hard to digest, so unfortunately she doesn't like my story much. But she is more than willing to bluntly point out all the flaws in my writing style and plotline… so I guess I shouldn't be complaining… And yep, I intend to have Sesshoumaru completely enamoured with his pretty hanyou sibling before too long. LOL  
You had asked me who the mysterious female kitsune is and where does Inuyasha go during mating season? I'm sorry that I can't answer those questions here without giving away the plot completely! I promise the answers are coming up in future chapters, so please be patient!  
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Do continue reviewing!

**thr3e**:  
It sucks doesn't it when you have to format your computer and you lose everything you have saved (And your sibling does the happy dance in the background with their backup disks.. grrr…). Oh well… here's wishing your computer a long, boring and uneventful existence!  
grin I really enjoyed writing that little scene, and tried to keep the kiss as subtle as possible. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing!  
I hope you enjoyed this new chapter as well. Please do review!

**Natasha AKA Tash**:  
LOL! Yep I completely understand! Personally, I do enjoy clothes shopping, but that is only when shopping for a single piece. God forbid I ever have to set aside a day for clothes shopping! An hour is my limit! And WOW! Drawings and Poetry? God you're talented! Personally I have some rudimentary talent at drawing (anime people only) but I have absolutely no skill when it comes to writing a poem. I wrote one when I was in Junior High School and to this day I remember the look of absolute disgust that twisted my favourite English teacher's normally serene expression. Failed the poetry assignment, but all my other assignments were near perfect, so I survived! Guess story writing is my thing! grins  
I'm glad your enjoying the "blossoming romance between Sess and Inu" as you put it! I'm glad you think that my characterizations are working! I hope you will let me know if things get too sugary.  
sigh I hear you when you say there are very few good inu/sess fics out there. I have my own C2 named INUCEST, where with the help of my staff, I compile all the good Inu/Sess fics out there. Its so incredibly difficult to find good ones! I'm glad you think my fic is good though! You're comment sent my spirit soaring. Thank you so very much! I do hope you like my future chapters! Oh and my Beta says: "You're Welcome!"  
Do Read and Review!

**Sekre**:  
You said it! My siblings and I refer to them as the "Supreme High Court". I'm glad you liked the story so much. I hope you enjoyed re-reading the fic! Predictably, there will be quite a few killing attempts on Inuyasha as the story progresses. LOL! Mizuiro is also one of my favourite characters. She will be putting in too many appearances in the fic. But if you squint, you will see her influence in events that act to drive the siblings closer together. Hope you enjoy this latest chapter! Please R and R!

**shadowdreamer Lady Fate**:  
Sesshoumaru is the one watching Inuyasha. And I'm glad you could appreciate the Foxglove used by foxes scenario! I couldn't resist! The wordplay was too perfect to pass up. I'm glad you like my story. Do keep reading and reviewing!

**Sam**:  
Hey there! I'm glad you are enjoying the plot and find my story interesting. You had questioned the inu siblings use of a fork and a knife. I hope this chapter answers your question. Sesshoumaru is a demon, a Japanese one, but still a demon. I did not see why he might follow the same customs of humans who the demons so openly see as a lower race. On the same note, I am NOT implying superiority of the fair haired, pale eyed humans. I just wanted to use a different tradition, one I would have an easier time understanding.  
I hope you enjoy this new chapter. Do let me know if it makes you smile or laugh at any point. My attempts are humour are usually kinda lame… LOL! DO keep reviewing!

**petpeeves12**:  
Hmmm… your review made me smile… no idea what you meant… but it sounds cozy, so thank you. grin

**Sleepless**:  
grin Glad you enjoyed the little scene in the artisans' wing! I hope you keep reading and reviewing!

**animelover6000**:  
LOL! Yep you asked me several times and yes there will be lemons in future chapters. I am not sure how explicit they will be, but there will be quite a bit of it! LOL! I hope the second reading of the story was as enjoyable as the first! Do keep reading and reviewing!

**zoisyte**:  
You are the only person who picked up on the fact that I wanted Sesshoumaru to seem to have a slightly stalker-ish persona! Glad you liked my story! Do keep reading and reviewing!

**The Great Susinko**:  
grin My parents thought that I spent too much time on so they blocked it. Thanks for your review! I had wondered if my story flowed smoothly at all. At time it feels like I'm just writing interconnected facts with little enjoyment factor. LOL! I've been there too! It was amazing having my own money the first time, and having the option to spend it as frivolously as I desired. (And frivolous I was! giggles I know better now. nods sagely) You asked me if this was going to be an Mpreg fic. The answer is umm… sort of… What I mean is yep the inu sibs will definitely have a baby. What I'm not so sure about is whether I will be ending my fic on that note or continuing it into family life for the inus… Still in the works you see… I hope that response satisfies you! I'm looking forward to your review!

**Irat**:  
WOW! Thanks! Haven't had anyone say that to me! blushes I hope I don't disappoint you with my future chapters. Do keep reading and reviewing!

**Littlefiction**:  
Thanks for your review! Here's the next chapter!

**Angel no Yami**:  
Yep! My parents thought that I spent entirely too much time on hence the block. sobs Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter. My Beta says that it wasn't worth publishing just yet as it had little subject matter. What do you think? Do keep reading and reviewing!

**lelann37**:  
Thanks! Yep Sesshoumaru has his work cut out for him watching over Inuyasha! Keep reading and reviewing!

**darkangel36**:  
LOL! This new chapter is a touch different from the last! I hope you find it equally enjoyable! Looking forward to your review!

**Yazoo1**:  
Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like my plot! I hope you keep reading and reviewing.

**EmeraldSnake11**:  
LOL! Yeah, I'm something of a knit-picker when it comes to details. In this chapter, once again I had to do a little research into poisons, stimulants and the human skeletal system. Yeah, I know… seems obsessive, but I want my story to seem as realistic as possible. Hope you keep reading and reviewing my fic! Enjoy!

**the blasphemous**:  
I hereby absolve thee of thy sins, o ye who has sinned! LOL! But I'm glad that you finally decided to review and have been enjoying my fic. I'm glad you appreciate my portrayal of Inuyasha as a person with some intelligence (By beta is constantly telling me my Inuyasha characterization is very hard to swallow. I tend to tune her out when she says that.). I'm also very flattered that you find my writing style appealing! Do keep reviewing!

**Editor Crawl**:  
LOL! I sympathize with you on the impatient readers. Got a few not so nice PMs myself demanding that I update!  
I'm glad you like my story, and appreciate the plot and are not complaining to the lack of smuttiness in the chapters so far. I just don't feel comfortable having two former enemies jumping into bed, tearing each other's clothes so soon as it would be too unrealistic and hard to swallow and very not classy. It has barely been a week since they decided on a truce, and that too was conditional on spanning only the duration of the mating season.  
You will definitely get to see what happens with the internal politics of the golden fox clan (otherwise my story will fall apart.)  
Also, I read your comment on Kagome, and decided that you have a point. I myself don't hate the anime Kagome (too much), just think that she is over preppy, immature and idealistic. But then again she is a fifteen year-old travelling with a babe, so I guess temporary loss of brain function is forgivable. Just for you, I have changed my characterization of Kagome in later chapters when she does show up from marginally evil, to just simply naïve. I have also decided to give her a little bit… just a tiny bit more maturity to help her earn Inuyasha's respect… but this is still an Inucest story.  
She doesn't stand a chance.  
Hope you enjoy this update!

**Jester08**:  
Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like all the characters, original or Canon! Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

**Shinimegami7**:  
WOW! Thanks! You definitely made my day! I'm glad you feel that my characterizations are spot on! On the same note, do let me know if my characterizations disappoint you in the future.  
I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!

**IvyLady:**  
OMG! Finally a review from you! I thought you had completely lost interest in my story. I was about to have the story update published, but then your review came in. So I put it on hold for a day so that I could respond to your review. I had considered PM-ing you, but as I don't have direct access to that would not be possible. I'm glad you are appreciating the attention to detail, but I do hope you will point out any damaging loopholes in the story to me.  
Do keep reviewing!

**koishii-tenshi**:  
Hmmm… a little late to the party… if you had continued reading the fic past chapter 2, I think you would have found your answer. But nevertheless, Inuyasha wears the necklace so tat Kagome feels safe around him as it gives her the illusion of control over the hanyou. Kagome's reiryoku is bound to the rosary, hence if Inuyasha wore a duplicate, it is possible that Kagome or even Miroku might sense it. I hope you did keep reading and enjoyed the fic! Do keep reviewing!

**Girlofmanynames**:  
LOL! No special meaning! I just didn't want them to have water and I wanted to introduce alcoholic drinks later. Fruit drinks are kind of a compromise between the two. Also, I wanted the readers to understand that just because they are demons gaining their identity from carnivores in nature does not mean that they are purely meat eaters and eat nothing else. They have quite a diverse palate.  
Thank you so much for standing up for me! I do hate it when I get those anonymous reviews. I did post a YAOI warning for a reason. Don't like, Don't read. Simple as that! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

**Miaka Kennyuuki**:  
Thank you so very much! I'm glad you appreciate the detail I put into the story and that you are enjoying the plotline! As for your question, I will be sending you an email saying pretty much the same thing as posted here, but that will likely be in a day or two. In any case, the answer is "Yes you may, but you must acknowledge me as a source". I completely understand that you will be selective about which of my created concepts you will be using. So I would like it if you would let me know exactly what information you will be using. I also wanted to know if you will be using the actual layout of the palace that I have created (Shiyuuchi, Kiri no Shouheki, Koukyo, etc.). In any case, when you do post your fic, do let me know what your user name and the name of the fic is (you did not sign in to post your review). I look forward to reading it! Please do keep reading and reviewing! And thank you so uch for offering to help me out with Japanese vocabulary! I have to rely solely on freedict (dot) com.

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**oOoOo **

**I am especially grateful to all my reviewers who attempted to answer my question about the word "hanyou": **Gabby, Kibou32, Kage no Tenshi, Sekre, The Great Susinko, Angel no Yami, darkangel36, the blasphemous, Editor Crawl, Ladykaa28 and Miaka Kennyuuki.

**After reading through all the suggestions, here is what I have gathered:**

The word hanyou simply means half-demon; with "han" meaning half and "you" derived from youkai (Gabby, Kibou32, Kage no Tenshi, Sekre, The Great Susinko, darkangel36, Miaka Kennyuuki).  
Hanyou does not mean half-breed which would be offensive as it would denote a suggestion of polluted blood, which is not the case (Gabby, Miaka Kennyuuki).  
A demon child may have parents from two different youkai clans, but is still referred to as a youkai not hanyou (example: the thunder brothers that killed Shippou's father), meaning hanyou definitely means half-demon, not half-blood or half-breed (Sekre).  
However, in a world where half-bloods are ostracized, hanyou would be an offensive term (The Great Susinko).  
But this reminded of several historically ostracized nations, mainly the nations colonized by the British. Even if to the British, anyone of colour was of lesser blood value/ pedigree, it still did not make it a crime/offence to be a child of colour (I'm South Asian).  
Another reviewer (who asked not to be quoted :3) pointed out that the word hanyou is in not used in a derogatory sense in Japanese. Hence, after careful consideration, I have decided that referring to Inuyasha as the hanyou lord is not offensive, unless the speaker is deliberately implying a negative (Angel no Yami, Ladykaa28).  
But in light of the fact that Inuyasha is Inu royalty, calling him "hanyou lord" could be seen as offensive. It is bringing unnecessary attention to Inuyasha's blood, when all that should matter to his subordinates is his station. So he should be referred to as "Lord Inuyasha" or "young lord". (Miaka Kennyuuki)  
Pretending that Inuyasha is full-blooded I believe would be more offensive and damaging. Hence, in spoken conversation, I have decided to not use the words "hanyou lord", but simply "young lord" or "Lord Inuyasha". However, I may have characters referring to him as a hanyou in their thoughts, after all it is fact and the easiest way to think of Inuyasha.

**Kibou32:** You had similar doubts as me regarding the usage of the word hanyou. I hope this helps!

**oOoOo **

* * *

_**To all my readers: **_

Hi!

Sorry I couldn't update sooner! From when I had published the last chapter to this Friday, I had only managed to write down 800 words despite my best efforts! But come Saturday, my Muse had returned to me and began singing in earnest and I had the chapter completed, proof read by my Beta and completely redone by Midnight! (My beta is very blunt… very cruel… sobs…) I will once again attempt to have the next chapter posted in a week! The good news is that my Muse is still with me and I am feeling quite creative! But guys, your reviews do help me out a lot so please don't be shy with your opinions, cuz I love hearing them. (Except for the occasional flame, but oh well… too much sugar makes for a rotten imagination!)

Also, in regards to my last chapter, there seems to be a confusion as to who was the demon watching Inuyasha in the last chapter. The answer is Sesshoumaru. For the purpose of this fiction, all members of the noble golden fox clan possess blonde hair and blue eyes of every shade imaginable. The members of the royal silver inu clan possess silver hair and golden eyes. The only two surviving members of this clan are the inu siblings: Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru.

**Trivia:**

The information regarding Ephedra (a genus of plants used as a stimulant in traditional Chinese medicine; claimed to be dangerous by Western scientists), Deadly Nightshade (Toxic plant found in the Western Hemisphere; don't ask me how Sesshoumaru got it in Japan; His mother was from a clan with affinity to poisonous plants, it is likely that they cultivated it) and descriptions of Elbow and Wrist joints were taken from Wikipedia. I had to slightly alter the description of the leaves to suite my story, but I did not want to have to create a stimulant or poison from scratch when there are so many real ones already in existence.

Thank you everyone for reading my fic! If anyone at any point feels that my characters are acting Out of Character, or my plotline is bordering on cliché, please do let me know! I'll make the necessary alterations!

* * *

**Please R & R!**


	13. 2,4 Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings:** Rated M, Inucest, YAOI, swearing.

* * *

**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

"_We have reached a truce"_, Sesshoumaru realized noting the quiet peaceful expression on the hanyou's face.

_"So this is what it feels like…"_ Inuyasha thought wondrously, savouring the heady feeling.

_"You belong here."_ Inuyasha recalled Sesshoumaru's words.

"_This is what it feels like…"_, Inuyasha thought. _"This is what it feels like to come home. I have a home now. I am home…"_

**oOoOo**_  
_

* * *

**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 02 – Palace of the Western Lands_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 12_**

_**Mating Season: **Day 2_

* * *

After breaking their fast, the inu siblings mutually came to the decision that they would continue the regeneration process on the futon in the living room. All that was left to be done was to regenerate Sesshoumaru's hand from the wrist downwards and any blood dripping from the wound could easily be confined to a small bowl, eliminating unnecessary messes. 

The siblings were once again clad only in white yukatas. Inuyasha feeling underdressed had wanted to wear the deep maroon outfit that Shinneri had sent to their quarters soon after dawn, but Sesshoumaru had vetoed against that course of action. He had rightly pointed out that although their clothing would not get bloodied, they were both likely to get drenched in sweat during the regeneration process. Inuyasha had sulked, and grudgingly put on the offered white yukata.

He absently wondered just how many white yukatas Sesshoumaru owned.

Inuyasha seated himself in lotus position on the futon facing Sesshoumaru's side, as the youkai positioned himself on the futon properly, with both feet resting on the floor. Inuyasha had once again invoked his reiryoku web and enmeshed it with Sesshoumaru's inner coils, except this time the mesh had a much tighter weave.

The hand is the most versatile part of the humanoid form that is capable of a wide variety of motions, rendering it the most useful part of the body. However, that versatility is the result of the combined efforts of numerous tiny bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons all working together synchronously. A frown of concentration knotted Inuyasha's forehead as he was forced to simultaneously regenerate several parts of the hand at the same time. Inuyasha was aware that in theory any mistakes he made during the regeneration process would be automatically corrected over time as was the natural tendency of the youkai physiology. Nevertheless the hanyou wanted to do this correctly. The experience would come in handy when God forbid that he ever lost any of his limbs.

"_Healing internal organs is so much easier."_ Inuyasha thought crossly as a bead of sweat dripped down from his hairline over his left eye.

Inuyasha had also had deliberately had not completed all the proper nerve connections in the arm necessary for the limb to function to its full potential. Inuyasha knew from personal experience that unlike the human body, the nerves had the fastest natural regeneration rate in the youkai form. He guessed that it would take anywhere from three days to a week for Sesshoumaru's nerves to fully establish themselves on their own, so he did not want to waste his precious keystones by rebuilding them.

Inuyasha growled in his throat softly in annoyance.

As it was, Sesshoumaru's near constant shudders were aggravating him to no end and quickly eating away at Inuyasha's patience. With his nerves active, Inuyasha would have had to tie his half-brother down securely to keep him from thrashing wildly from the pain of regeneration. Inuyasha snarled and strengthened the secondary technique he had invoked that only superficially resembled his reiryoku web, but unlike the reiryoku web, it was visible to youkai senses as they made use of Inuyasha's saigen. This technique, simply named _Keigai_ (framework) enabled Inuyasha to hold the tiny mobile bones and joints in place as he carefully built the muscles, tendons and ligaments.

"_Now if only those infernal twitches would stop moving them out of position!"_

Inuyasha's brow twitched as he calculated the force he would need to put behind a punch to knock the living daylights out of his darling half-brother without causing permanent brain damage. A suppressed whimper of pain soothed the hanyou's nerves somewhat causing a vindictive smile to grow on his face.

Oblivious to the frustration he was causing, Sesshoumaru had his head thrown against the back of the futon; his eyes closed shut tight and teeth clenched. He took in slow deliberate breaths trying to ease his pain. Earlier, the youkai had tried entering a meditative trance to make the pain more tolerable, but the steady bolts of saigen shattered his concentration with every attempt. He whimpered softly when Inuyasha fed another bolt of saigen into his wrist.

_Did he just hear an appreciative purr?_ Sesshoumaru wondered.

It was almost sundown, and Inuyasha had successfully completed rebuilding Sesshoumaru's palm and thumb and was now working on rebuilding the index finger. As Inuyasha continued his work, while keeping his temper at bay by torturing and cursing Sesshoumaru in increasingly creative ways in his mind, the siblings heard the sound of insistent knocking at the door causing them both to jerk back in surprise.

Snarling savagely, baring his teeth Inuyasha turned on Sesshoumaru.

"I thought I said NO INTERRUPTIONS!" Inuyasha growled out between clenched teeth.

Sesshoumaru tried to steady his breathing to form an answer when they heard Koshimoto calling them from outside in muted tones.

"Lord Sesshoumaru… Lord Inuyasha…"

Sesshoumaru frowned. He had given Koshimoto very specific instructions to not approach them in any manner unless summoned. It was completely unlike the kitsune maiden to disobey direct orders. Complete loyalty and absolute servitude had been ingrained into her being through intensive training and he wondered at the meaning of this show of insubordination.

Sesshoumaru watched as Inuyasha picked up his hand and critically studied the almost complete index finger. Blood had dripped onto the futon from the hand. Sesshoumaru winced in pain and surprise when Inuyasha blithely sliced off the final digit with his claws, murmuring 'useless' under his breath.

Sesshoumaru glared at the hanyou as Inuyasha began to wrap the incomplete hand in bandages.

"Koshimoto…" Sesshoumaru called out in conversational tones, aware that the fox maiden would be able to hear him perfectly. "I seem to recall having requested (ordered) that my half-brother and I are not to be interrupted or approached in any fashion until the morrow's dawn unless we have specifically summoned you?"

"Yes, my lord." Koshimoto answered deferentially. "You recall correctly."

"If that is as it is, Koshimoto, what then is the meaning of your presence outside of our chambers, desiring our audience?" Sesshoumaru murmured letting a chill lightly brush his tones.

Sesshoumaru heard a soft 'plunk' as Inuyasha carefully lifted the bowl full of blood and placed it on the side table.

"My lords…" they heard Koshimoto say as she carefully picked her words. "Healer Chiyu and sorceress Kannagi have demanded an audience with the Inu no Taisho."

Sesshoumaru frowned inwardly when he noticed the colour drain from Inuyasha's face. Inuyasha turned to look at his half-brother with accusing eyes.

"I thought you said we weren't gonna see them until tomorrow." Inuyasha said.

"Hold your peace, Inuyasha. This matter will be resolved soon." Sesshoumaru said firmly. "Koshimoto, pray tell, what matter can be so urgent as to cause the kitsune to go against this Sesshoumaru's direct orders?"

"My lord Inuyasha is correct in his assumptions." Koshimoto acknowledged, confirming that the meeting with the healer and sorceress this early was unplanned. "However, on her morning rounds of Koukyo, the good sorceress had come upon the blood soaked carpets that had been removed from your quarters yesterday. In her concern for the Inu no Taisho, the lady Kannagi had visited the healers' quarters to inquire after your health. When she approached lady Chiyu, the healer denied possessing any knowledge regarding any wounds the lord may have acquired that would result in massive blood loss. Fearing a conspiracy against the inu lord, the ladies had approached the kitsune lord and lady, demanding to be granted an audience with the Inu no Taisho without delay. Our lord Kyoushin and lady Mizuiro have been diligently attempting to convince the healer and sorceress since the past hour and a half, to wait until dawn as per the commands of the Inu no Taisho. However, lady Kannagi and lady Chiyu have not been assuaged and remain steadfast in their demands. Lord Kyoushin and lady Mizuiro have since commanded me to consult the royal clan in order to appropriate the correct course of action."

Sesshoumaru mulled everything over his eyes darkening with rage. He could feel Inuyasha's suspicious gaze on him as he contemplated his bandaged hand.

Belatedly Sesshoumaru realized that the fox maiden was only a messenger, and it would be pointless to lash out at her for events that were beyond her control.

"Very well, Koshimoto, you are excused your transgression. Please inform us about the current whereabouts of the healer and sorceress?"

"Thank you my lord. You are gracious. The healer and sorceress await your reply in the antechamber of the silver inu wing. The kitsune alpha pair accompany them." Koshimoto replied.

Sesshoumaru turned to look at Inuyasha who had been listening to all of this in silence.

"Inuyasha… how much longer will it take for you to complete your task?" Sesshoumaru asked Inuyasha, not using any words that may give away their proceedings to the kitsune maiden who was within hearing range.

"Until midnight at least…" Inuyasha said after a moment's consideration.

Sesshoumaru nodded thoughtfully.

"Koshimoto, please inform the awaiting kitsune that they shall have an audience at midnight, so to please return then." Sesshoumaru called back.

The inu siblings waited as Koshimoto telepathically communicated the message. Sesshoumaru was pleased to note that the tension was ebbing from Inuyasha's shoulders.

As Inuyasha reached forward to undo the bandages Koshimoto's voice sounded again.

"I have done as commanded, lord Sesshoumaru." Koshimoto said.

"Very well, Koshimoto… you are dismissed." Sesshoumaru replied, leaning back against the futon, watching as Inuyasha undid the wrappings.

"The ladies have declined. They insist upon an audience at this instant or threaten rebellion against the alpha kitsune pair." Koshimoto murmured, her voice curiously expressionless as if unable to believe the words coming from her own lips.

Inuyasha froze and drew his hands back as Sesshoumaru began to radiate murderous intent. The youkai's claws lengthened as his golden eyes bled into a livid red and his markings began glowing.

"They dare defy the Inu no Taisho." Sesshoumaru growled out, his anger forcing his form into the primary stages of transformation.

"They seek to verify the well-being of the last remaining member of the royal silver dog demon clan, lord Sesshoumaru." Koshimoto answered, her trembling voice lowered submissively held more than a trace of fear.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and his childhood conditioning helped him to reign in his rage. He could understand the motives that drove the two prominent kitsune ladies into insubordination.

The Dragon-Demon war that had happened over two centuries ago had decimated the silver inu clan, leaving Sesshoumaru the last silver inu youkai in existence. Should the silver inu clan be lost forever the entire youkai hierarchy of the West would fall apart causing civil strife to emerge among the other royal caste tribes as they attempt to establish themselves as the ruling clan. As a consequence the golden kitsune clan would find themselves isolated from the rest of the West, locked forever within the bounds of the Kiri no Shouheki. The healer and the sorceress were only trying to look out for the well-being of the silver inu clan, the West and more importantly their own kind.

"Tell them to wait Sesshoumaru. I need more time."Inuyasha said quietly, his own anger abated in face of the youkai's incredulity.

Sesshoumaru took a few moments to ponder, during which time he regained his composure. His claws returned to their original length and his eyes reverted to their normal metallic tones.

"That cannot be done Inuyasha. So close to the Gathering, we cannot afford to have internal conflict within the kitsune. We will clean up and then grant the kitsune their wish. It is in the best interest of all parties involved." Sesshoumaru stated calmly as if that had been his plan all along.

Inuyasha's eyes widened disbelievingly then narrowed to slits. He stared malevolently letting some red bleed into his eyes before rising to his feet abruptly.

"As the lord wishes." Inuyasha spat sarcastically. The hanyou retrieved the key stones and leaves in a single swipe and returned them to their pouch and then stomped off towards their bedrooms, slamming the door loudly behind him.

_"That went better than expected."_ Sesshoumaru reflected feeling oddly cheered as the silver hair disappeared behind the doors.

"Koshimoto, have the healer and sorceress know that we shall have my audience within the hour. The lord and lady of the kitsune need not attend. Time is of the essence, and their services are required to make the Gathering a success."

"My lord, the ladies insist upon…" Koshimoto attempted to say.

"_Within the hour, Koshimoto. That is my final word._" Sesshoumaru said coldly. "The ladies may either choose to follow my instructions or find themselves crossing over to the other side and replaced by more competent members of your clan that are able to follow simple instructions."

"I have done as commanded." Koshimoto answered after a short silence. "The ladies will await you."

Sesshoumaru growled out a dismissal and the fox maiden released an answering yip as she went back to her duties. The daiyoukai could hear the sound of her gentle footfalls as she walked down the corridor.

Sesshoumaru heard the sound of the shower being turned on and figured that Inuyasha was taking his turn cleaning up. With nothing else to do but wait while Inuyasha was done cleaning up, Sesshoumaru got to his feet and secured the bowl full of blood with his tail, careful not to tip any of its contents. He then touched a carving on the wall, causing a wall panel to swivel aside revealing a hidden corridor. The daiyoukai followed the familiar path up the stairs that led him past a conservatory lit with mage lights and entered the workshop that was connected to the conservatory. Sesshoumaru set down the bowl on the stone counter and retrieved several glass vials made from volcanic ash. He then sat down in the chair and began the tedious task of transferring his blood to the vials, one-handed.

The conservatory and workshop had belonged to Sesshoumaru's mother, and had been a nuptial gift from his father. It was in here that lady Suzuran had educated her son in the ways of brewing poisons and antidotes and the proper cultivation of poisonous plants.

Sesshoumaru remembered his mother, draped in her unadorned work clothes that did nothing to diminish her beauty, with her crescent moon marking and knee-length lilac hair piled high on top of her head, carefully tending to her plants with a pair of shears. Her spring green eyes would reflect the mage lights revealing her concentration and contentment as she worked with her beloved plants that she had brought back with her on finalizing her mating with the Inu no Taisho. Many a time Sesshoumaru remembered his father occupying this very seat as he watched both mother and son go about their work in the hothouse through the glass panels.

He remembered the indulgent look his mother had given him when he had asked why he needed to learn to make antidotes at all when both mother and son were completely immune to poisons.

"_No knowledge is ever wasted."_ was the only answer she would give him when presented with such questions and the lesson would continue.

His mother had been a quiet creature and her world had revolved around her mate, her child and her conservatory. So long as these three were taken care of, she was happy. Suzuran had never been a demonstrative creature, and left her child in the hands of the kitsune, only checking periodically to see to it that all of the boy's needs were met and surpassed. Consequently the boy grew up to be a solitary creature with the belief firmly embedded in his mind that it was only natural that all the creatures in the world must treat him with utmost deference and obey his every whim as did the golden fox clan.

Lady Suzuran had always been more of a teacher than a mother to Sesshoumaru. Hence when she died, her death did not affect him as badly as it did his father. Lord Renshoumaru could no longer bring himself to visit the conservatory. For himself, Sesshoumaru simply missed her comforting presence as he worked with the plants in solitude. He himself had been vaguely satisfied with the knowledge that his mother/mentor had taught him all that she had known before her demise. Sesshoumaru had barely known his other blood relatives as they seldom stayed within the bounds of Koukyo and were almost always out about their own adventures. The silver inu clan were renowned for their inquisitive nature, so it was not surprising that Sesshoumaru, who had been confined within Koukyo for the first century of his childhood, knew little of them.

In fact, it was only after Suzuran's death when he was a child of ninety seven years that Sesshoumaru truly learned the value of familial love as his father began to take him beyond the borders of Kiri no Shouheki, and began teaching his heir the ways of the West. He remembered the quiet nights spent with his father and his uncles and aunts as they watched the starlit sky. His kin would share stories of their own childhood and of their latest discoveries while the young Sesshoumaru would listen with rapt attention. It was on one of these starlit nights that he learned of the lands beyond the boundaries of the four demonic nations where youkai were few and the lands were ruled by the ningen.

"_The same lands from which Izayoi-hime had fled, bringing with her her most loyal subjects and a battalion of warriors."_ Sesshoumaru reflected.

Sesshoumaru wondered not for the first time what horrifying fate may have befallen Izayoi-hime that had driven the ningen princess to seek refuge not within the arms of fellow humans but within youkai territory where mortals fear to tread.

When Sesshoumaru returned to their suite, Inuyasha was waiting for him on the futon, fully-dressed in burgundy and black, with his hair was once again done in a thick braid. The hanyou cocked an eyebrow when he saw the wall-panelling moved aside to reveal his youkai brother, but otherwise did not comment on it.

As Sesshoumaru was about to enter his bedchamber, Inuyasha called out.

"Hey Sesshoumaru…"

"Yes Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru called back, pausing at the doorway surprised that Inuyasha was speaking to him at all after his little outburst not too long ago.

"I was thinking, and I kinda get it that you have to see them now instead of later, so umm yeah sorry for snapping like that." Inuyasha mumbled shifting uncomfortably. "But you won't tell them, right? About your arm, and what we were doing? I mean… You promised. You won't tell them no matter what?" Inuyasha asked.

He turned to look at the profile of the hanyou seated on the couch with his back towards him. Inuyasha's triangular ears were perked high on his head giving off the impression of confidence, but the set of his shoulders gave away his resignation with fate. Sesshoumaru allowed a frown to cross his face.

"Have faith in me, Inuyasha, all will be well. Your secrets are safe with me." Sesshoumaru answered simply, as he moved away to take his turn in the shower.

As he entered the bathing chamber and closed the door behind him, he heard a mumbled "Yeah sure…" from Inuyasha.

His voice held no conviction.

**oOoOo**

Lady Kannagi sat before the fireplace, directly facing the hanyou boy sitting stiffly before her in an identical couch. Since the moment the introductions had taken place, and they were seated… no even before then… when the hanyou boy had been walking towards the antechamber two steps behind the dog lord, the sorceress had been watching him acutely.

She took in the simplistic robes of burgundy and black the boy was dressed in and the stubborn set of his face. Kannagi inwardly smirked at the boy's naiveté.

In a meeting such as this one, it was an unspoken rule that one must dress to intimidate. The hanyou prince's mode of dressing revealed no such desire to unsettle his quarry, but instead reflected the simple desire for freedom of movement and comfort. It was obvious that the boy did not have full knowledge of the privileges that were his birthright nor did he have any experience in power play.

Lady Kannagi herself was dressed in heavy silk trains with a fitted bodice and full flowing sleeves of sapphire blue. The jet lined hems shivered with the slightest movement and shone brilliantly in the firelight. Over the blue silk, she wore a pearl gray, sleeveless, knee length kimono, with slits running down either side. The hems of the kimono were embroidered in fine silver blue silk and featured repeated patterns depicting the crests of the golden foxes, the silver dogs and a gem encrusted staff giving away her affiliation with the sorcerers' guild. Kannagi wore her waist length ash-blonde tresses in a deceptively simple coif atop her head, held in place with numerous sapphire pins. The fact that each of those pins contained a dosage of paralytic poison was her own little secret. More sapphires adorned her wrists, neck and ankles, bringing out the identical hue in her eyes and her feet were encased in delicate looking gray silk shoes.

She cast a glance to her left, and noted that the healer Chiyu, her contemporary and close friend was affording the Inu no Taisho the same meticulous scrutiny she had been giving the hanyou.

Chiyu was affecting the emerald silk that was permitted to be worn only by those affiliated to the healers' bloc in a more traditionally styled kimono that lay atop four more layers of kimonos, each having a different colour. The significance of these colours Kannagi herself was not aware of although she was certain they served some purpose. About her shoulders was thrown an amber gauze silk stole that brought out the rich golden highlights of her unbound wavy shoulder length hair. For her own ornamentation, she wore a heavy silver chain around her neck with a large amber medallion that hung low within her cleavage, and hair clips that featured the intertwined crests of the silver dog and golden fox clans.

Chiyu had - since she had been very young - had a tendency to delve into the distant past, spending hours upon hours inside the palace library. Hence, her fashion sense frequently reflected the knowledge of ancient traditions that in present day may have lost their significance. However, it was the same drive for learning that had earned her the exalted position of the chief healer of Koukyo, directly responsible for the well-being of the Inu no Taisho. Her dimpled heart-shaped face frequently misled people into underestimating the depths of her intellect.

**_"Kannagi, the dog lord… his arm…"_** Chiyu sent in confusion. **_"It should not be… it cannot be possible…"_**

The sorceress cast a glance at the almost complete limb of the daiyoukai that sat across from the healer.

**_"Why do you say that, Chiyu…"_** Kannagi asked. **_"Is it not as it should be? Our lord is the most powerful youkai in the lands. Was it not from your own lips I have heard that in time the lord shall recover his lost arm?"_**

Chiyu shook her head slowly.

**_"Yes, heart sister… You are correct… those were my words. However Kannagi, when I said in time, I meant in four or five decades, not a mere two seasons!"_**

Kannagi cast a confused glance at her friend. **_"Why is this so remarkable? Our lord is the last remaining silver dog, and he is soul bound to the lands of the West. Surely he must be able to absorb the natural energies of the land. That must have aided his regeneration."_**

But Kannagi, even as she said these words saw the flaws in her reasoning. Drawing so much power from the lands so abruptly would cause a noticeable change in the weather patterns of the West, and the lands would lose a great deal of its fertility. All youkai who had any training in manipulating saigen would be able to feel the difference, and Kannagi herself as a highly trained sorceress had detected no such change.

"**_No heart sister, you are wrong. That cannot be the case. See how limply his arm hangs off his shoulder? And do you see that? His hand is bandaged. Why should he bleed? The regenerated organs are always protected within a layer of skin until they are completed. And why are two of his fingers complete, yet the rest are missing? All five fingers should have regenerated at the same rate, at the same time! This is unprecedented. The hanyou has something to do with it! That must be it!"_**

**_"He is only a child!"_** the sorceress sent laughingly to her healer friend. **_"How could a mere half-blooded mongrel child be able to accomplish such a feat? Be reasonable my friend!"_**

**_"A child you say..."_** Chiyu murmured thoughtfully. She turned to look at the hanyou who was now fidgeting under the stares of the two powerful ladies.

"**_A naïve child." _**She agreed. **_"but a most cautious one."_** She turned her face towards the fireplace, revealing her troubled dark blue kohled eyes. **_"But do you see how skilfully he moulds his saigen, heart-sister? Where do you think he obtained such a talent? I was not aware that it was possible for a creature with so much power to be able to wield it so effectively."_**

**_"Simple, my friend. He does not possess much power at all. He draws what little saigen he does possess in his polluted blood, and swirls it all about his form. Quite a simple feat although it is dangerous bordering on stupidity."_** The sorceress replied scornfully.**_ "I suppose it is his ningen blood that is letting him stay alive after having withdrawn all of his saigen from his blood. You yourself know how simple it is for a weak youkai to draw out all of their power and move it about their skin just so."_**

Soft laughter rang across their link as her healer friend responded. **_"It is unlike you, heart-sister to allow yourself to be lulled into safety by ordinary robes. You forget that I am a skilled healer and have been trained to see saigen flows within the youkai body as easily as you can see saigen manipulation outside of the youkai form. I assure you, heart sister, the boy's power is not merely superficial. It is like the mighty ocean compared to our ponds and floods his entire being. What you see on the surface is only the natural runoff that he keeps confined close to his form with only the force of his will. Unconfined, it would billow about his form in a cloud almost as large as the Inu no Taisho's."_**

**_"You jest Chiyu."_** Kannagi murmured disbelievingly, colour draining from her face. **_"So much power in a mere half-breed…"_**

**_"You know I never jest Kannagi. That would be your forte."_** Chiyu replied demurely letting the darkness hide her smile as she turned away from the firelight. **_"The mere hanyou you speak of has a very protective youkai brother."_** She murmured slyly. **_"See how fiercely he is watching us."_**

Kannagi caught sight of the elder inu brother from the corner of her eyes, and indeed he was watching them like a hunting cat seemingly relaxed in his seat on the couch, but ready to leap in and defend his sibling in an instant. But Chiyu knew better. She had seen the same protective look too many times to be uncertain. It was the same look that arose in her mate's eyes whenever a situation arose where her safety would be compromised.

"_An interesting development..." _she thought, her bookish nature and healer training causing her mind to drift as she wondered what the offspring of such a mating would produce would look like.

"Healer Chiyu, Sorceress Kannagi, I was under the impression that you requested our audience as a matter of greatest urgency." Sesshoumaru said stonily from his seat across from Chiyu, beside Inuyasha, startling both the ladies causing their mind link to waver. "However, it seems that I have been mistaken. The matter could not be so urgent as it seems you ladies are at this moment wasting my time by conversing amidst yourselves psychically. If that is how it must be, you are hereby dismissed. Both of you will find yourself replaced tomorrow morning by more competent kitsune, who have a better understanding of my priorities."

Both ladies immediately looked up in consternation, although the healer's alarm was better concealed.

"Forgive us for our slight, my lord." said Chiyu who recovered first, bowing from her neck, letting dark golden hair cascade across her face. "I assure you it was unintended on both our parts."

She then turned to Kannagi, who immediately took the hint.

"Yes, my lord. Please do forgive us." Kannagi continued smoothly, mimicking Chiyu's movements. "Lady Chiyu and I were astonished and overjoyed that the Inu no Taisho had recovered most of his arm so very soon. By Chiyu's estimation, the regeneration should have taken anywhere between four and five decades. We had unknowingly disrespected the royal clan in our astonishment. Would you not please reconsider our removal from our positions?"

The ladies shuddered violently as they felt the sensation of their guts being torn apart by acidic claws. Their eyes rolled back in their heads in agony and they instinctively clutched at their stomach. They were momentarily surprised at the lack of blood or damage to their robes.

"_The 'Spirit Possession'. An illusion of course."_ Kannagi thought in relief as pain coursed through her. In the distant recesses of her mind, she could sense Chiyu's suffering over the mind link.

It was by using the 'Spirit Possession', also known as_ Kitsunetsuki_ ability that the silver dog clan disciplined their affiliated noble tribe through the centuries. The silver dogs possessed the ability to project nightmares and visions upon the golden foxes. Rarely did the dogs exercise their ability to torment the foxes, and the foxes out of respect and a healthy amount of fear did not rebel against their lords who were sworn to protect them nor did they attempt to usurp their power.

When Kannagi looked up to see the cruel satisfied smirk on the daiyoukai's countenance, her stomach plummeted as she realized what had just happened.

The 'Spirit Possession' as the name suggests in its most extreme form involves the creation of a secondary presence within the demonic mind. This presence acts as a torturer and delves deep into the minds of the victim bringing forth their worst fears and makes them come true in the eyes of the victim. However what Sesshoumaru had chosen to do was to simply project physical agony upon the healer and sorceress. The bare beginnings of the 'Spirit Possession' ability.

"**_A warning heart-sister. Please watch your words."_** Chiyu sent desperately, coming to the same conclusion as Kannagi.

"Know your place, Chiyu, Kannagi." Sesshoumaru intoned. "You have served me for as long as I have known you, and have greatly aided me in my growing years. I will not dishonour either of you or myself by unleashing the full force of the Kitsunetsuki upon yourselves." Sesshoumaru cocked his head to the side as he considered. "You are both undeserving of such torture. However, should you once again step beyond the boundaries of your privileges the claws you will feel will not be mere phantasms."

Sesshoumaru paused for a few moments, giving the ladies time to take in these words. Coldly meeting their eyes in turn, Sesshoumaru casually projected the sensation of dripping corrosive acid on their imaginary ripped innards. The ladies gasped and screamed in response as Sesshoumaru allowed a sadistic smirk to touch his face.

"Sesshoumaru what are you doing?" came the frantic demand from beside him.

Sesshoumaru turned to see his half-brother staring at him with conflicting emotions in his eyes. He let the smirk slide off his face as he considered the agitated hanyou.

"They have disrespected our clan by disregarding your requests and my direct orders. Did you expect me to allow them go unpunished?" Sesshoumaru asked curiously.

Inuyasha's eyes widened considerably at these words. He turned to look down at his hands.

"No… I guess not, but Sesshoumaru… you're hurting them… a lot…" Inuyasha murmured, turning away from Sesshoumaru to face the firelight.

Sesshoumaru frowned thoughtfully. He rose from his seat and knelt before the hanyou, placing his hand on Inuyasha's.

"Do you wish for me to stop?" Sesshoumaru inquired.

Inuyasha nodded still not looking at his half-brother.

Sesshoumaru raised a hand to Inuyasha's face and gently stroked his cheek.

"It will be as you wish Inuyasha." He murmured softly, repeating the same words Inuyasha had spat at him so hatefully, earlier this evening.

Behind him, Sesshoumaru could hear the breathing of the kitsune ladies even out as the effects of the 'Spirit Possession' wore off. He did not move from his spot before his half-brother as he continued to stroke the cheek that was beginning to warm under his hand.

"Kannagi, Chiyu… If there is anything left to be said please do so. After that you must immediately remove yourself from this wing." Sesshoumaru said authoritatively.

"My lord…" Chiyu began bravely, "Kannagi and I have discovered the blood soaked carpets that have been removed from your room earlier. If I may examine my lord, I may be able to tend to any wounds that you may be suffering from."

Sesshoumaru felt Inuyasha stiffen under his touch. Frowning, he rose to his feet, pulling Inuyasha to his feet with him. He then sat down on Inuyasha's couch and pulled the hanyou down on his lap, who settled down with a squeak. Inuyasha did not try to struggle out of Sesshoumaru's lap, uncertain what their present company might make of it.

Chiyu stifled a smile at the display, her suspicions confirmed. She had known the lord since his birth, and the young dog demon had never openly comforted anyone in his life. The hanyou's discomfort also confirmed her suspicions regarding his involvement in the miraculous recovery of the daiyoukai's limb.

"_Perhaps it is his ability as a halfling…"_

"As you can see healer Chiyu, this Sesshoumaru is in relatively good health." Sesshoumaru pronounced, pulling Inuyasha back into his chest as he rested his head on the boy's shoulder. "You may examine myself tomorrow at noon if you still feel inclined to do so."

Chiyu wanted to argue, but not wanting a repeat episode of pain, she held her silence.

"My lord, the rapid recovery of arm causes us unease." Kannagi said humbly. "Perhaps you will allow us to examine it…"

Sesshoumaru felt Inuyasha stiffen in his arms, so he pulled the hanyou flush against his form and nuzzled his neck.

Inuyasha couldn't keep himself from blushing, not that it mattered. In the flickering firelight, it was very difficult to judge complexion, even if you are a demon.

"Sorceress, Healer, I assure you that I am quite well, and my arm is behaving as it should." Sesshoumaru began.

"My lord…" Kannagi tried to interject.

"However, I do feel that your concern is valid." Sesshoumaru continued smoothly, as if he had not been interrupted. "But you will agree with me ladies surely when I say that should my arm be ailing, delaying its examination for another day will not be of any great consequence? Your concern for our clans is commendable, nevertheless in the future should I require your services, I shall approach you myself or have Koshimoto bring you to me. Have I made myself clear?"

At the obvious dismissal, Kannagi and Chiyu exchanged looks of defeat. They knew when to back down and it was obvious that the dog lord would not allow any personal examination to take place. Rising to their feet, the ladies bowed in unison and took their leave.

When they had left, Inuyasha rose to his feet and picked up the stoker before the fireplace. He kneeled before the fireplace and tended the flames, after which he put the metal rod away.

When the hanyou did not move from his position before the fireplace, Sesshoumaru rose from his seat and moved to stand behind Inuyasha.

"What troubles you, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru inquired, staring into the flames like Inuyasha.

When Inuyasha did not answer him, Sesshoumaru sighed and sat down behind the puppy-eared boy and pulled him into his lap. Inuyasha yelped and tried to get off, but when Sesshoumaru growled deeply within his throat, Inuyasha stopped struggling.

"You need not be afraid of me Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru whispered, affectionately nuzzling the boy, causing him to blush. "I will never harm, nor will I let any harm come to you."

"Sesshoumaru…" Inuyasha mumbled. "You're just being very… you know… very…"

Sesshoumaru waited for Inuyasha to complete the sentence, but Inuyasha refused to continue, and intently studied the crackling flames. The youkai was very pleased when his half-brother made no attempt to pull away from him.

"Sesshoumaru… " Inuyasha murmured, his tone giving away that he wanted to discuss something serious.

"Yes?" Sesshoumaru murmured.

"Sesshoumaru… will you do that to me if I don't do like you say?" Inuyasha asked staring into the flames sadly.

Sesshoumaru wondered what Inuyasha was talking about before it hit him. The Kitsunetsuki… Inuyasha did not know what it was.

Sesshoumaru wrapped his tail around Inuyasha, and pulled the boy flush against his chest.

"Inuyasha… the time for conflict is now behind us." He whispered letting determination colour his voice. "By the laws of the land, the laws of our ancestors, the laws that binds myself as it does the four Demonic Nations, you were proclaimed to be beneath the notice of the royals and thus beneath my notice. Until you have proven yourself by surviving on your own until your coming of age, you were not worthy of stepping within the bounds of Koukyo… you were unworthy of an audience with myself. Inuyasha, you had no rights."

"But you are my brother!" Inuyasha cried out, his voice revealing his turmoil. "You never… You were never there for me…" He murmured dejectedly.

"I am not your brother, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said firmly.

"What?" Inuyasha exclaimed in surprise, trying to turn around in Sesshoumaru's grip. "Of course you are my brother! We have the same father!"

Sesshoumaru held firm and pulled Inuyasha closer to himself crushing them together. "No, Inuyasha… you are not my brother. You are my half-brother, and as such by youkai tradition, my blood tie to you is too weak to be significant. It is not enough to afford you the protection of the clan. The power to do so lay only within the hands of our father, and no one else."

"But Sesshoumaru… you said I wasn't allowed to see you… We met every frigging year, damn it!" Inuyasha countered.

"And I had also told you to never speak of our encounters, did I not, Inuyasha…" Sesshoumaru murmured softly.

Unseen by Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha's eyes widened in realization.

"So that's why you never…" Inuyasha murmured softly, tears leaking from his eyes.

All these years he believed that Sesshoumaru was a cold hearted bastard that had abandoned him because of his parentage but… not once did he suspect something like this… His half-brother had defied youkai customs in secrecy to protect him…

him!…

Inuyasha…

the hanyou…

the mongrel…

As tears streamed down Inuyasha's face, Sesshoumaru grew concerned. "Why do you cry Inuyasha?" he whispered.

Inuyasha hiccupped softly and wiped his face on his sleeve.

"I wasn't crying." Inuyasha whispered denying it as he wiped away the evidence.

Sesshoumaru remained silent, understanding some of what was going through the hanyou's mind.

"So you don't hate me? You have never hated me?" Inuyasha asked hopefully.

Sesshoumaru considered the question for a moment before answering truthfully.

"When we first met, Inuyasha…" Sesshoumaru murmured into his hair, "it upset me to see you… it reminded me of our father's loss. Every year we met, I protected you to the best of my ability in our father's memory." Sesshoumaru nipped Inuyasha's ear. "When you began to pursue the priestess… it annoyed me excessively…" Sesshoumaru said whispering into his neck nuzzling him affectionately.

"Sesshoumaru…" Inuyasha whispered, his voice breaking, unused to receiving the dog lord's affection.

"I've never hated you Inuyasha… I have never hated you…" Sesshoumaru whispered planting a kiss on the junction between Inuyasha's neck and shoulder.

"Sesshoumaru what are you doing? Stop… Stop doing that…" Inuyasha called out.

Sesshoumaru chuckled softly.

"What so funny?" Inuyasha asked his ears drooping, very sensitive to laughter after years of being made a mockery of.

Sesshoumaru stopped chuckling when he sensed Inuyasha's distress and began trailing kisses along Inuyasha's neck.

"Sess… Sesshoumaru! Cut it out!" Inuyasha said standing up abruptly, breaking free from Sesshoumaru. He hugged himself, feeling chilled at the loss of Sesshoumaru's warmth.

"Did you not enjoy it Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru whispered huskily into his ear, taking it between his teeth, gently tugging it. "Do you not take as much pleasure from this as I do?"

"We're brothers… male… we shouldn't be doing this…" Inuyasha whispered, trying not to lean back into the enticing heat behind him, as Sesshoumaru had risen to stand behind him.

Sesshoumaru turned Inuyasha to face him and pulled the unresisting hanyou to his chest.

"We are not brothers Inuyasha. Our blood ties mean nothing. We are both capable of bearing and siring pups, our sex means nothing."

"But Sess-" Inuyasha tried to protest.

"Your pedigree means nothing to me…" Sesshoumaru murmured, shocking Inuyasha, making the hanyou look into the metallic eyes above him. Golden eyes that were dark with lust.

Inuyasha gulped as his throat went dry.

Sesshoumaru cupped Inuyasha's face in his hand, and pulled the hanyou upwards and he leaned down towards the boy.

"You mean something to me, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru murmured huskily against his mouth, before sealing their lips together in a kiss.

Inuyasha tried to protest, but soon found himself melting into the kiss as Sesshoumaru's taste and scent flooded his senses. He parted his lips to Sesshoumaru's questing tongue and allowed Sesshoumaru to explore his mouth moaning wantonly against his lips, until they had to finally separate for breath.

Inuyasha was red faced and gasping for breath as he clutched against Sesshoumaru the youkai held up his weakened body. He buried his head in Sesshoumaru's shoulder, partly to keep the youkai from kissing him again, half to keep himself from climbing up to claim those tempting lips himself.

"Sesshoumaru…" Inuyasha murmured, his breath hitching as Sesshoumaru gently nibbled, kissed and sucked on his exposed neck. "Sess… stop that… we need to…"

"Hmm…" Sesshoumaru murmured, pulling Inuyasha against himself grinding their hips together making Inuyasha gasp. The youkai groaned at the delightful friction.

Summoning the last of his willpower, Inuyasha gasped out quickly, "We need to finish your hand!"

When those words registered in the lust clouded demon's mind, he pulled back with a dejected sigh. He did not want give up this delectable treat in favour of another torture session… but what must be done, must be done….

Sesshoumaru looked into the dilated eyes, flushed face and full lips of the hanyou and leaned in to claim another deep kiss, to which the inexperienced Inuyasha responded by going limp in his arms causing Sesshoumaru to chuckle.

Inuyasha flushed darkly, and hurried out of the room back to their suite, calling out behind him for his youkai sibling to follow so that they could complete the limb.

Inuyasha decided that he was going to sleep on the futon in the living room tonight. It had room enough for only one person to lay in.

Best not tempt fate… _or his half-brother_…

**oOoOo**

* * *

**Character profiles of OCs created by oStilloDreamingo**

**Sorceress Kannagi (diviner)**  
Species: Nobility - Golden Fox Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Koukyo  
Status: Head Sorceress  
Age Group: Adult - 2100

**Healer Chiyu (****cure**)  
Species: Nobility - Golden Fox Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Koukyo  
Status: Head Healer  
Age Group: Adult - 2100+

**Lady Suzuran (lily of the valley) - unnamed Canon Character**  
Species: Royalty - Dokusou   
Allegiance: Western Lands  
Status: Lady of the Western Lands  
Age Group: Deceased

**Lord Renshoumaru (consecutive victories; perfection) - unnamed Canon Character**  
Species: Royalty - Silver Dog demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands  
Status: Lord of the Western Lands  
Age Group: Deceased

**oOoOo **

* * *

_**Author's Note: **_

**Special thanks to my reviewers:** RKInu241, Demitria Miriam, TeeDee, C-loke, Raincurtain, Silvermane1, littlefiction, Kibou32, koishii-tenshi, seto'swifey, Jester08, Sekre, the blasphemous, Sam, Chibi Tsuki Hikari, sleepless, Natasha AKA Tash, Shinimegami7, animelover6000, DemonGoddess061, cherry fantasy, petpeeves12, Russanya, galliechan, Psycho Demon-Witch, lelann37, pinwheel926, darkangel36, Angel no Yami, thr3e, Trysted Inu, Irat, IvyLady, Girlofmanynames, Lady Riiko-Chan and SANGO QUEEN OF SLAYERS.

**Silvermane1, Chibi Tsuki Hikari, koishii-tenshi, sleepless, galliechan, Psycho Demon-Witch, lelann37, pinwheel926, darkangel36, Angel no Yami**  
Thanks for your reviews! I hope you like the new chapter.

**RKInu241**  
LOL! This chapter is more than twice as long as my usual work. Hope it satisfies you!

**Demitria Miriam**  
dances right along! Glad you liked the previous chapter! I included some inusess action in this chapter (and for once the boy isn't unconscious, LOL). Please let me know if you liked it. This is my first time writing anything remotely romantic, so I'm not sure if it was any good. And you will be getting your wish soon! I assure you that plenty of youkai will be out to get Inuyasha (in both senses of the word), and you will soon get to see a very possessive dog lord. I'm looking forward to your review!

**TeeDee**  
LOL! Thanks for liking that bit! My beta found it to be rather corny. (She wanted it to be more violent with some bloodshed and claw action) The regeneration is almost complete. (Next chapter I'm skipping to post regeneration, can't be bothered to describe the same thing all over again). I hope you like the InuSess interaction in this chapter!

**C-loke**  
LOL! Good question! What is normal for those two? Hope you like my interpretation of Sesshoumaru's upbringing. Looking forward to hearing more from you!?

**Raincurtain**  
Thank you! I keep doubting myself when it comes to my writing style. (Don't worry, I'm not doing anymore regeneration scenarios after this chapter) And oh, that happens to me too! As I am writing about my characters, the become real people in my mind, and I see them doing all manner of things that I am dying to put down on paper, but you can type only so fast. I hope this new chapter is also to your liking. I had a really hard time with this chapter when it came to the scene involving the healer and sorceress. In the end, I wasn't really satisfied with it, but I posted it anyways. I spent three days agonizing over it, so I decided to just let it be and move on top the next chapter. Do review again!  
Oh and thank you so much for suggesting those stories. Read half of them myself, but the other half I really enjoyed! I have been looking all over for that KyuuNaru fic. I had read it long ago when I ddn't have an ff account, so I couldn't add it to my favourites! If you have anymore recommendations, do let me know!

**littlefiction**  
Thank you so much! It really helps me when someone comments directly on my writing style. I had wondered if my ending had come out as corny. I'm glad you thought it was strong. I had my doubts. Please do review again!

**Kibou32**  
Hey! Thanks for your review! You had a few questions, and I will try to address them as best I can.  
"_When Sesshoumaru says that Inuyasha belongs here, does he mean that he belongs to where they are staying at or that he belongs to Sesshoumaru as his mate?"_  
I meant that Sesshoumaru believes that Inuyasha has every right to be at Koukyo, and that Inuyasha has every right to be with Sesshoumaru, and Sesshoumaru has every right to be with Inuyasha. In that scene, I meant to imply that Sesshoumaru is very indirectly claiming rights over Inuyasha, but you really have to squint to see it.  
"_Why does he envelops Inuyasha with his own saigen, is he proclaiming that Inuyasha is worthy of him and in a way also proclaiming that Inuyasha is to be his mate at the end of mating season?"_  
The enveloping with the saigen is a way for Sesshoumaru to actively feel Inuyasha's spirit, and also in the process leaving a mark on his spirit. I will be discussing this in more detail later on in the story. In this case, Sesshoumaru was trying to reassure both himself and Inuyasha that they belong with each other. Inuyasha, having not been raised by demon traditions, did not get the clue. He'll pick up on it in later chapters.  
Hope that answers your questions! Please do read and review!

**seto'swifey**  
Hi! It is always great to hear from new readers! I'm glad you find my story interesting and informative. At the same time, I would like to point put that quite a bit of information in my fics are products of my imagination, so the story is not quite faithful to Takahashi's Inuyasha.  
As for your question, you wanted to know _if Sesshomaru's arm only coming back when Inuyasha is working on it or is it slowly doing some progression on it's own?_  
The answer is that for the purpose of my fic, yes it was regenerating on its own, although it would have taken quite a while. In the anime, they make no mention of whether Sesshoumaru will ever get his arm back. I guess in the time scale of the anime, it is irrelevant.  
I hope that answers your question. Please do review!

**Jester08**  
Glad you liked this chapter. Hope the new chapter pleases you as well! Do review soon.

**Sekre**  
Thank you! I'm glad you liked my interpretation of a regeneration ritual. And I am also very happy that you find it to be fitting that Sesshoumaru would receive letters demanding Inuyasha's removal from the Gathering. I hope you like this next chapter as well. Do review soon!

**the blasphemous**  
LOL! Thanks for agreeing with littlefiction. I had wondered if the ending had come across as corny. I'm glad it did not. phew wipes brow LOL! You don't frighten me! I've taken come college level biology lab courses myself, and have dissected quite a number of creatures. (I remember my lab partner throwing up when I mentioned that the rats flesh looked just like chicken. We had to get a new rat and start over. winks She really shouldn't have taken that course) Once again thank you so much for liking my "not a complete bonehead" Inuyasha. Hope you liked this new chapter! Waiting to hear from you!

**Sam**  
Hey again! Don't worry, I always appreciate constructive criticism… well most of the time… grins I'm glad I have a reviewer who is as knit-picky about details as I am. Please feel free to point out any discrepancies in my story at any point. I shall try to address them in later chapters. LOL! The yaoi action just started, but don't worry I don't plan on making them do anything more until they get some proper bonding done. So I assure you I will not be rushing to the smut. I am writing this fic mostly because I like the InuSess pairing and that there aren't too many such fics out there. My other reason is that the anime ending (if you can call it that) completely pissed me off, so I'm trying to write a hopefully more satisfying conclusion to the story. It may not be the best, but at least it won't be endlessly, pointlessly traipsing all over the country side with barely any growth in the skill levels of the protagonists, but exponential growth in the strength of the antagonists. And somehow the heroes win at the end of the day. Figures. I'm so glad you like my portrayal of Inuyasha! I hope you will let me know if he starts climbing on your nerves though. I'm glad you think my story is not utterly clichéd and that you enjoy my tidbits abut youkai history and hierarchy systems. As for the OCs, I've introduced two new ones in this chapter. And like all my OCs, I spent this chapter trying to give a look into their personalities, without distracting from the actual plotline. They will be appearing later on the story several times, but I don't want to draw away the focus from the inu siblings by having to describe their thought processes over and over again.  
Please do review and let me know what you think of this new chapter!

**Natasha AKA Tash**  
Hey! Welcome to my C2 staff! Thanks for joining! I'm glad you think my story flows well!  
Hmm… I know it is rather exhausting that the inu siblings don't seem to understand that "the home is where the heart is?" as you put it. I am trying to bring them closer together as the story progresses. In this chapter, I clued Inuyasha in to the fact that Sesshoumaru is interested in him. It may take a while for him to actually get it and accept it, but its in the open now.  
LOL! I get this complaint frequently: my chapters are not long enough. I know for a fact that this chapter is twice as long as what I generally post. I am not really comfortable with handling this length, but please do let me know if my attempt was successful or not.  
It also pleases me that you liked my descriptions of Inuyasha using his talents. I can only hope that at came across to my readers clearly in one reading.  
Thank you so much for being so understanding about delays that my take place for my publication days. I'm glad I was able to brighten your day.  
Please do review this new chapter! Hope to hear from you soon!

**Shinimegami7**  
LOL! Nope they are not doing that anytime soon. Thanks for the hug! I hope you liked the slash action in this chapter. I'm looking forward to your review!

**animelover6000**  
LOL! I've pretty much borrowed from the continental style of dining with minimalist use of cutlery and food served buffet style. Don't worry about asking any questions! It helps me with the writing process to know where my readers are unclear or wish to hear more about. Do review!

**DemonGoddess061**  
LOL! Nope… Inuyasha was testing Sesshoumaru about his attitude towards mortals and halflings. He wanted to know if Sesshoumaru would stick up for him when he gets accosted at the Gathering, which will no doubt happen. Thanks for adding to my trivia note! I myself am doing college level courses in biology, but they are at the cell and molecular level mostly. "ephedra can be dangerous, if used incorrectly. When used for breathing problems (such as bronchitis) it is effective and doesn't have the usual side effects that people use it for (mainly speeding). It is a bronchodilator." I was aware of that piece of information, although I am not very educated in the possible repercussions of using bronchodilators. So thank you. I hope you liked this chapter. Do review soon.

**cherry fantasy**  
LOL! Yep definitely see what you mean! I hope you liked Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's interaction in this chapter! Please do comment on it! And about the pain during the regeneration process, I thought it would have been completely unrealistic if Sesshoumaru just got back his arm without any suffering while Inuyasha slaved over it, piecing it back together.  
Like they say "No Pain, No Gain".  
I'm glad you agree with me on the point that no substances should take affect on someone so heavily resistant to poisons. LOL! And I was glad I could help anyone out there about the concept of hanyou and the word usage. I had to piece together that piece from many emails that I received from my reviewers, each telling me what they knew about the usage of the word.  
I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter! I hope to hear from you soon!

**petpeeves12**  
LOL! Yep revenge is indeed sweet, especially when you are inflicting it with a mouth full of candy! I'm looking forward to hearing from you again! Do review!

**Russanya**  
Awww I completely understand! Don't worry about it! For a moment there I had thought that I had lost your interest in my story, but I'm glad that you still like my pieces. I am very honoured and flattered that you have chosen to follow my fic despite your school work!  
I completely agree with you on the point of devotion. Sess and Rin's father/daughter relationship is really the best example of mutual devotion in the Inuyasha plotline. You review made me wonder if I want to include a scenario involving that later on in my fic. I might, but I still need to work off the cobwebs.  
I'm also glad that you appreciated the rebuilding scene! I myself am doing a biology major, but it is geared towards cellular and molecular biology as opposed to the study of entire body systems, so I had to look up some stuff to add to my sketchy knowledge.  
And LOL! Like I told **the blasphemous**, I've taken come college level biology lab courses myself, and have dissected quite a number of creatures. So I do have a basic idea of what they must look like on the inside.  
But your comment did bring an interesting point in my story. I had intended for Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru to have an alcohol influenced encounter, if you know what I mean. winks. Hmmm… looks like I have sabotaged myself. Oh well… Inuyasha will have to get drunk and Sesshoumaru can molest him. Works out just as well! I don't think you are a dork at all. I ask questions like that all the time, so I think it is pretty cool to ask away if you are curious… and then people call me a dork so… hmmm… I don't think I'm the best person to comment on dorkiness. grins sheepishly  
Yep Yep! Lots of kitsune ass kicking coming soon!  
LOL! I hope you have a good time writing your fic and that you did well on your genetics exam!  
Please do review soon, when you get the chance!

**thr3e**  
LOL! Yep, love Sesshoumaru's tail myself… not quite much as you do… but umm… yeah… hmmm… grins nervously LOL! I hate papercuts myself. I don't really mind small miniscule cuts at stop bleeping in a few seconds, but anything bigger frightens me badly. No chance of me ever going emo I guess. Heh. LOL Thanks for your review! I hope you like this chapter as well!

**Trysted Inu**  
LOL! Hmm, sorry to kill your inspiration! Why do you use so many different names? It is difficult to keep track of you. Nevertheless, to each his own. I hope you like how my story is progressing! Please do review and let me know if it isn't good enough.

**Irat**  
LOL! Thanks for saying that! And yep, poor Inuyasha did not have access to any pain medication when he was healing himself. The shard collector group did patch him up with bandages, but they had inly used disinfectants, and no pain killers. I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

**IvyLady**  
Let me first say that you made me so very happy! Thank you for the PM with the constructive criticism. It actually was very similar to what I had planned for my storyline, so I was glad that my pacing matched what you believe to be in your opinion a good pace. Don't know if there is enough of a thrill in this chapter, but I did try to the best of my ability. Also, it makes me glad that you found my regeneration ritual intriguing and was able to pick up on my foreshadowing of future conflicts. I hope you this latest chapter. It is not a length I'm comfortable handling, nevertheless, I gave it a shot. Let me know if it doesn't flow.

**Girlofmanynames**  
Hmmm… can't bring myself to quite agree with your taste… I found myself preferring the towel clad version walking out of the bathing chamber, but to each his own! I hope you like my latest chapter. Do review!

**Lady Riiko-Chan**  
LOL! I hope you read it from the beginning, I think your question might have been answered. Nevertheless, Kagome is back home at the Higurashi shrine, and the rest of the gang are at the demon-slayer village for the season. I hope you liked my story. Do review!

**SANGO QUEEN OF SLAYERS**  
Thank you so much for reviewing every chapter as you read along! I opened my mail in the morning, and found a string of reviews from you. It made my day. (Then again I am very easy to please.) As you noted, my fic is going to delve into inu youkai heritage, and neither of the priestesses have a shot at Inuyasha! And yep it gets me mad too when Kagome sits Inuyasha on a whim. What really pleased me was that you picked up on the information regarding familiars (Ah-Un and Kilala). No one else did, so I thought that maybe I did a shabby job of describing the bond. And like I have been telling everyone for quite a while now, I am getting to the mysterious female kitsune. Can't give any information about her as it will end up ruining my story. I'm sorry that you are having trouble remembering the difference between saigen and reiryoku. I can't really help you there. I thought that if I took up describing them every single time it is used, the story might seem a bit shabby. I'm glad you agree with my portrayal of Izayoi and Inuyasha. The mystery of Izayoi will be revealed soon, so keep on reading! I'm also very happy that you don't think that my work sounds like an encyclopaedia.  
Your comment that said "thank you for the table manners thing i think you should publish this" confused me a bit. What did you mean by publish? I'm glad you liked the fox and inu sibling interactions. In my fic, sorcery is nether good, nor evil. It is simply a tool. Good or Evil would depend upon the use ones sorcery is put to.  
I hope you like my latest chapter! I'm hoping to hear from you!

**oOoOo **

* * *

_**To all my readers: **_

Hi everyone!

Well this is the longest chapter I've written so far, and as I've never handled this length before, I have no idea if it turned out okay. I must say that this chapter was hard for me to do, and even now, I have several concerns regarding my work.

I'm hoping the story flows alright, because I had a really hard time working with the healer/sorceress/inu siblings scene. I had to open that scene by focusing on the kitsune ladies, but as the scene progressed, the focus had shifted onto the inu siblings. Do let me know if my attempt worked out alright.

Another thing I'm concerned about is the little scene at the end of the fic with the inu siblings in front of the fireplace. Frankly, I have no experience romantically, nor do I have any experience writing a romantic piece. Could someone let me know if it turned out corny?

Another VERY MAJOR CONCERN of mine is the use of the power I named "Phantom Spirit". Unfortunately, after I had completed this chapter, I realized that the "Phantom Spirit" ability is remarkably similar to Uchiha Itachi's "Tsukiyomi" from _Naruto_ and the Pharaoh Atem's "Mind Crush" from _Yu-Gi-Oh!_. Please let me know if that bit turned out as clichéd. I needed a mechanism for the reigning daiyoukai to be able to effectively terrorize and discipline his youkai staff without any outward evidence, and this seemed to be the perfect way to do so.

**Anyways, thanks for reading my story! Please do Review!**

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	14. 2,5 Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings:** Rated M, Inucest, YAOI, swearing.

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**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

Summoning the last of his willpower, Inuyasha gasped out quickly, "We need to finish your hand!"

When those words registered in the lust clouded demon's mind, he pulled back with a dejected sigh. He did not want give up this delectable treat in favour of another torture session… but what must be done, must be done….

Sesshoumaru looked into the dilated eyes, flushed face and full lips of the hanyou and leaned in to claim another deep kiss, to which the inexperienced Inuyasha responded by going limp in his arms causing Sesshoumaru to chuckle.

Inuyasha flushed darkly, and hurried out of the room back to their suite, calling out behind him for his youkai sibling to follow so that they could complete the limb.

Inuyasha decided that he was going to sleep on the futon in the living room tonight. It had room enough for only one person to lay in.

Best not tempt fate… _or his half-brother_…

**oOoOo**

* * *

**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 02 – Palace of the Western Lands_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 13_**

_**Mating Season: **Day 3  
**Moon Phase: **Waxing Crescent_

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_  
_

Breakfast had been an awkward silent affair at least on part of Inuyasha. As a matter of fact, calling their meal "breakfast" was in itself a misnomer; as it was now well past noon. The regeneration - as opposed to Inuyasha's previous estimate - had taken them long past midnight. By the time the inu siblings were done regenerating, cleaning up, and had fallen asleep it was already false dawn.

When Inuyasha lay down on the futon, Sesshoumaru had merely raised an eyebrow at Inuyasha's choice of sleeping accommodation, but otherwise hadn't commented on it, for which the hanyou was heartily grateful.

Inuyasha fidgeted in his chair as he tried to finish the huge amount he had on his plate compared to the meagre fare of a diced baby bird that his half-brother was picking at disinterestedly. Inuyasha realized that now that the youkai lord was fully healed, and Sesshoumaru being an adult by youkai standards, he no longer needed to eat thrice daily as did youkai in their growing years. For Sesshoumaru, simply absorbing the natural energies of the land was sufficient to restore his energy reserves. Inuyasha envied the demon's ability to go without food for months at a time. Being a hanyou, Inuyasha himself needed to eat at least one full meal a day. Inuyasha grew more agitated as something as simple as mealtime made it clear the colossal differences that existed between his and his half-brother's physiologies. It was making Inuyasha doubt if would be able to survive the meeting season hobnobbing with all the politically important clans of the Demonic Nations.

Sesshoumaru sensing Inuyasha's discomfort finished his fare as quickly as decorum would allow. He then excused himself, stating that he would be visiting the healer and sorceress as had been promised the night before.

Inuyasha's expression soured upon hearing about the kitsune ladies from the night before.

"Sesshoumaru, why do you need to see them? Those vixens were going on about you last night like you were a little pup in need of regular check-ups. What's up with that?" Inuyasha groused, stirring about his rice noodles a bit.

"_Who knew demons can cook noodles."_ Inuyasha thought distractedly.

"It is our custom, Inuyasha, to submit ourselves to the healers and sorcerers of Koukyo promptly upon entering the palace to ensure that we have not come to harm while we were away from Koukyo." Sesshoumaru replied dryly. "They were worried that I had met grievous injuries when I failed to present myself at the healers' quarters and the blood soaked carpets were discovered. Their concern was quite valid."

"Oh, um… okay, I see." Inuyasha said, taking a bite of his noodles, having nothing of import to say in reply.

"Indeed…" Sesshoumaru replied, raising a finely arched brow at the mountain of food on Inuyasha's plate. "I suspect that this Sesshoumaru will be returning to our chamber before you have finished your meal. When I return, we will discuss your maternal heritage, Otouto."

Inuyasha swallowed hard past the lump that had formed in his throat. "Sure we'll do that." Inuyasha agreed nodding sharply.

Sesshoumaru nodded in acknowledgement and strolled out of the suite, and headed towards the "Manipulation" wing of the palace that was home to the Sorcerers' guild and the Healers' bloc.

**oOoOo**

When Sesshoumaru returned to their suite later, Inuyasha had already finished his meal and had summoned Koshimoto, Kerai and Dorei to clear away the dishes.

Sesshoumaru watched amusedly as Inuyasha tried to engage the kitsune in conversation, only to receive monosyllabic replies. The kitsune turned an interesting shade of red when Inuyasha asked them if Sesshoumaru acted like he had a stick rammed up his ass all the time. Thoroughly mortified, the kitsune gathered the dishes and fled the room, leaving Inuyasha chuckling on the futon.

"Inuyasha…" Sesshoumaru murmured taking a seat beside his hanyou brother. "You must not antagonize those who serve you so loyally."

Inuyasha snorted. "Well you wanted to talk about my mom, I didn't want them hanging around nearby accidentally overhearing us." Inuyasha laughed aloud as he recalled the expression on the kitsune faces. "Worked like a charm!"

Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha exasperatedly, part of him admiring the hanyou boy for his ingenuity at dealing with the kitsune, another part wanting to cuff the brat for his parting comment. Instead Sesshoumaru settled for rising to his feet, roughly pulling Inuyasha up with him and walked towards the wall.

"You bring up a valid argument, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said as he pressed a lotus carving on the wall and a wall panel moved back into the wall and then slid aside revealing a stairwell.

"Who's fighting?" Inuyasha asked naively. "What argument?"

Safely turned away with his back to the hanyou, Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes.

"No one is fighting, Otouto." Sesshoumaru replied blandly. "You were correct in being cautious of would-be eavesdroppers, deliberate or otherwise. If you follow me, I will lead somewhere where there will be no danger of us being overheard."

Without waiting for a reply, Sesshoumaru walked up the stairs that led to his mother's conservatory.

Sesshoumaru could hear Inuyasha following after him quietly, fidgeting all the way, and stopping at random places to examine interesting carvings he came across; slowing down their progress considerably. At one point when Inuyasha took too long in his examinations, Sesshoumaru turned around, grabbed the hanyou by the upper arm and unceremoniously yanked Inuyasha the entire way to the greenhouse ignoring his disgruntled "Hey let go of me, damn it!".

When they entered the conservatory, Inuyasha stopped his fidgeting and cursing as he broke free of Sesshoumaru's grasp and strode into the hothouse, examining the hovering mage-lights interestedly, amusing Sesshoumaru with his curious puppy-like behaviour.

Sesshoumaru strode up to a wall and pulled down a mahogany panel down, smirking deviously when he spotted some innocuous purple flowers in full bloom barely a few feet away from the demon.

He recalled his mother's words to him when he was only a child of sixty years, equivalent to a six year old human.

"_See this plant Sesshoumaru? No part of this plant is useful in the concoction of any kind of poison or antidote. Useless you say? No Sesshoumaru, this plant is among the most useful plants to have in a conservatory. Why you ask? ... You are too young my child to understand how best to use this plant, but I have faith in you my child..."  
_

Sesshoumaru took a seat on the impromptu wooden bench and indicated for Inuyasha to join him. Inuyasha looked at the offered seat, then turned back to caste a longing glance at the fist sized mage-light hovering in the air level with his forehead before nodding resolutely. Inuyasha grabbed the mage-light in his hand and brought the softly glowing blue orb with him as he joined Sesshoumaru on the bench.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, but did not try to make Inuyasha put the mage-light back where it belonged. The mage-light was irreplaceable and was worth a small fortune. The knowledge of how it was created had been lost several thousand centuries ago and they were kept within demon families and passed down as heirlooms. Nevertheless, the mage-light was hardly fragile and could probably well withstand Inuyasha's curiosity. At least the hanyou's attention was now focused on a single object as opposed to every new thing he encountered in his path.

"Begin." Sesshoumaru stated simply once they were both comfortably seated.

"Hmm… What?" Inuyasha asked distractedly eyes still glued to the blue orb… that was now glowing yellow?

Sesshoumaru wondered how Inuyasha managed to do that.

When Inuyasha showed no signs of continuing, Sesshoumaru put his hand on the mage-light, cutting out the emanating green light.

"_Green…?"_

"Your mother, Inuyasha. Where did she learn sorcery?" Sesshoumaru asked, staring at the mage-light as it shifted through colours. To his very limited knowledge, mage lights came only in a single colour, the opalescent blue. He was not aware that the colours could be altered. The orbs had always been glowing a shade of blue that was almost white for as long as Sesshoumaru had known about them.

"Haha-ue was taught sorcery by my grandmother…" Inuyasha mumbled.

Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha allowing his exasperation to show.

"And who is your grandmother?" Sesshoumaru questioned, trying to be patient.

Inuyasha took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. Sesshoumaru's skin prickled and he realized that Inuyasha was activating his reiryoku web. Sesshoumaru held his breath as Inuyasha completed his web, watching the blue orb glow brighter, apparently sensitive to reiryoku shifts. Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru released their breath simultaneously as the prickling sensation across Sesshoumaru's skin stopped and Inuyasha finished laying his reiryoku matrix.

"There is no one around within hearing range." Inuyasha stated tersely, staring at the mage-light fixedly, a frown marring his forehead.

Sesshoumaru nodded, having nothing to say in reply. Inuyasha was exercising a very high degree of caution, and given Inuyasha's past (which he knew very little of) it was perfectly understandable.

"Tsuki no Shizenrin…" Inuyasha said abruptly.

Sesshoumaru blinked.

"_Virgin forest of the Moon? What an odd thing to say…"_

"That's her name, my grandmother. Tsuki no Shizenrin, Lady Shizenrin or Shizenrin-hime." Inuyasha continued.

Inuyasha sighed and shook his head. He did something to the mage-light that made it momentarily blaze blindingly bright. The hanyou nodded as if his suspicions had been confirmed.

"I guess I should start from the beginning." Inuyasha said as if thinking aloud turning to cast a brief look at Sesshoumaru, who nodded n acquiescence.

The hanyou nodded back and began.

"Once upon a time there was a young prince who had two wives and thirteen children, of which, four were legitimate and nine were borne by the palace concubines." Inuyasha said as he turned to look into Sesshoumaru's eyes and caught sight of the bemused expression.

"_Thirteen children?"_

"Look. Shut up and listen alright. I have a point, I'm not rambling." Inuyasha snarled.

Sesshoumaru blinked.

"_But I did not speak a word."_ He thought.

"Yeah, yeah I know. You didn't say a thing." Inuyasha groused tossing the mage-light in his hands a bit, releasing an amused huff when the orb instead of falling back into his hand, hovered midair.

Sesshoumaru blinked again and wondered if Inuyasha could read his mind, but then dismissed the notion as impossible.

Inuyasha continued his narration as if he had not been interrupted (or had interrupted himself?).

"Once upon a time there was a young prince who had two wives and thirteen children." Inuyasha said looking challengingly into Sesshoumaru's eyes. The youkai once again wisely said nothing… and thought nothing… he was getting a little paranoid.

Inuyasha looked satisfied with what he saw as he continued, "The prince whose name was Isagiyoi…"

"_Aah… "_ Sesshoumaru thought. _"Prince Isagiyoi, Princess Izayoi's father."_

Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru penetratingly then repeated himself. "Prince Isagiyoi was out hunting one summer night when he got separated from his hunting party. In the forest, he came across the most enchanting women he had ever encountered."

Inuyasha grimaced at this point and then began speaking in a tone that made him sound like he was reiterating something he had heard or read elsewhere.

"Her skin was as pale and perfect as alabaster and her high cheekbones and angular features spoke of cunning and mystery. Her lips were full, red and plump like a rose blossom and her eyes were like the finest emeralds, green and slitted like a cat's. Her long lissom legs peeked out from beneath a white silk gown that failed to conceal the beauty of her perfectly formed body."

"A demoness…" Sesshoumaru guessed, out loud. "Your mother was a half-breed."

Sesshoumaru found himself slightly disturbed that Inuyasha would describe his own grandmother so very… vividly. But then again it did not sound as if the words were Inuyasha's own, but rather those of another person who had waxed poetic on seeing the demoness. Sesshoumaru had heard his own fair share of bad poetry when faced with ignorant mortals who had never before encountered a greater demon.

"No not exactly." Inuyasha said dryly. "Well yeah, my mother was a halfling, but that woman isn't a demon. Besides, she has rounded ears."

"_Isn't? Has?"_ Sesshoumaru thought catching the present tense Inuyasha was using. _"She is still alive?"_

"Yeah she's still alive… she'll always be alive…" Inuyasha said dryly. "Tennyo are immortal you know."

Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha sharply.

"A Tennyo?" Sesshoumaru hissed, pointedly ignoring the fact that Inuyasha had once again guessed at his thoughts, scoffing at his own paranoia. "Do not be foolish, Inuyasha. The Tennyo of legend do not possess cat-like eyes."

"Really? How many of the Tennyo have you met Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha asked sardonically.

Sesshoumaru just stared at Inuyasha, unwilling to answer such a question.

"None? Yeah anyways, thought as much. They don't exactly come traipsing down the mortal realm all the time, just when they are bored out of their minds and decide to pass some time messing up some mortal's life. They can't stand the _imperfections_ of the mortal realm." Inuyasha said, spitting out the word "imperfections" like something vile while flicking a finger at the orb in his hand making it glow brighter again, although this time it was a deep orange not blue.

"Yeah so the prince was not very… umm 'princely'", Inuyasha murmured flushing across the bridge of his nose visibly under the orange glare. "… and umm the prince he told the Tennyo that he was pretty good in bed, and uhh the Tennyo was kinda bored that day, so they kinda sorta umm did it." Inuyasha said quickly nearly tripping over his words in a hurry to get them out. 

"Did what Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked teasingly, feigning confusion.

Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru accusingly and said huffily, "You know what they did Sesshoumaru! Don't play dumb. They did the same thing you do every year about around this time!"

"Not every year, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru corrected. "And I gather you have never slept-"

"Yeah I haven't okay, so stuff it. For your information some of us have self-control." Inuyasha said blushing brightly while swatting at the striped wrist as Sesshoumaru tried to take the entirely too fascinating mage-light away from the puppy.

Sesshoumaru chuckled softly, having his previous assessment confirmed. No wonder Inuyasha reacted so skittishly to his overtures the night before. Perhaps his attentions may have had come off on a bit too strong, overwhelming the inexperienced hanyou… Sesshoumaru was not used to courting his would be lovers (they had all been very wiling to jump into bed with the most powerful demon around), and he was determined to have a very willing hanyou in his bed before the season had passed. However, it seemed as though any overt displays of sexuality may only frighten the boy away, which was not good for what the dog demon had in mind. Sesshoumaru had not missed the tension in Inuyasha's shoulders that had been present since the kiss the night before. Eyeing the purple flower, Sesshoumaru thought that it was a good move on his part to bring the boy to the conservatory.

After their little exchange, Inuyasha dived headfirst into the story of his mother's birth unwilling to discuss the finer aspects of Shizenrin and Isagiyoi's very brief affair. How Inuyasha had come to possess such knowledge, Sesshoumaru could not bring himself to guess at, but it was apparent to the inu youkai lord that Inuyasha had somehow become privy to the details. The hanyou continued his story mostly uninterrupted with Sesshoumaru trying to reach for Inuyasha's new toy playfully every now and then only to have his hand swatted away by the annoyed hanyou. Sesshoumaru delighted in the blushes that stained the boy's face every time the Sesshoumaru managed to caress Inuyasha's hands in his seeming quest to acquire the mage-light from the possessive hanyou.

Apparently, when Tsuki no Shizenrin returned to the celestial plane, she had been immensely surprised to discover that she was with child, as the tenjin conceived only with the greatest difficulty only once every few thousand eons and halfling children amongst the tenjin was completely unheard of. The eons old tennyo saw her pregnancy as an exotic new experience that she very much doubted would happen ever again despite her frequent couplings with her multiple partners. Hence, out of simple curiosity, she decided to carry the child for the term of her pregnancy, curious as to what a child of an immortal tennyo and a mortal prince would turn out to be like. Thus was born princess Izayoi, fourteenth child and the tenth illicit child of prince Isagiyoi; first-born and only child of Tsuki no Shizenrin.

When Izayoi was born, Shizenrin had been completely disappointed. All of the tenjin possess identical flaxen coloured hair and hard expressionless vertical-slitted emerald eyes. The tenjin are extremely narcissistic, and considered themselves to be the most beautiful and powerful of all creatures. As such they revered tenjin-like beauty in mortals to such an extent that they went as far as to kidnap especially beautiful flaxen haired, green-eyed children from the mortal realm. These children were kept within the celestial plane as exotic toys until their beauty began to wane with age.

Izayoi, with her dark colouration, was not a beauty by Shizenrin's standards, hence she was deemed unworthy of residence within the celestial plane. Her features were judged to be too soft to be considered attractive compared to the angular beauty of the Tenjin. Her hair was the ebony of her father and her eyes were round-pupilled and a deep unnatural violet, the only outward evidence of her mixed heritage. Izayoi did not look anything like either of her parents nor did she look like a Tenjin, except for her alabaster skin. Hence, when Izayoi had been weaned Shizenrin visited Setsuna once again and handed over the infant Izayoi over to prince Isagiyoi. The prince accepted the child gleefully as a symbol of his virility as it was a well known fact that Tennyo rarely conceived despite their promiscuous nature. Izayoi was thus introduced to the royal family of Setsuna and raised as another bastard child of the licentious prince.

Sesshoumaru had until this point been a silent listener, but in the face of this incredible story he could not help but comment snidely. "Do you truly expect me to believe this ludicrous farce, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru, affronted.

"Well, you asked me and I told you. What did you want me to do? Lie to you? Make up a less incredible story, like… umm maybe… yea the prince went riding one day and raped a beautiful and powerful priestess. Afterwards he was repentant, so when the child was born he adopted her out of the goodness of his heart. Are you happy now?" Inuyasha said standing up, literally screaming into Sesshoumaru's face.

Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha and bluntly stated, "Inuyasha, there is no such thing as a tennyo. It is a creature of myth created by foolish mortals for entertainment."

Inuyasha stared at Sesshoumaru for a few moments then sat back down again. He kept his eyes closed for a few moments and took in a few deep controlled breaths and tried to unclench his fists as his claws dug into his palms drawing blood. Sesshoumaru patiently watched as Inuyasha struggled to compose himself. After a few moments Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru and then smiled sweetly into his face unnerving the youkai.

"You are right, Sesshoumaru. My mother isn't a halfling. It is perfectly normal for humans to have violet eyes and skin that never stains nor scars. Also, it is perfectly normal for adulterous princes to go out and adopt their rape-get. Happens all the time! Also, I'm sure you've noticed all humans smell like flower gardens, like my mother. I'm sorry for wasting your time with my story!"

Sesshoumaru stared at his hanyou brother who savagely stared at the glowing orb, taking n deep calming breaths. The boy looked surprised when relaxation came to him with relative ease, causing the youkai to smirk.

"You have a very nice conservatory, Aniki." Inuyasha said offhandedly, seemingly trying to restore the peace between them. "Do you tend to it all by yourself?"

Sesshoumaru gracefully accepted the change of topic, acknowledging it for what it was and answered.

"The conservatory was my mother's. I have been caring for it since my mother's demise over four centuries ago."

Inuyasha's eyes softened at the mention of the late lady Suzuran and anger in his eyes receded somewhat to be replaced by an interested sympathetic look.

"Your mother? This was hers." Inuyasha asked quietly as he looked around the greenhouse as if seeing it in a new light.

"Yes." Sesshoumaru answered simply. "It was a gift from our father."

Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru penetratingly, cocking his head at an angle.

"Do you miss her?" Inuyasha asked curiously.

Sesshoumaru frowned as he considered the question and then answered at length.

"I do not miss her as father did." Sesshoumaru answered truthfully. "Father stopped coming to the conservatory after mother died. It was pleasant having mother here working with me as we tended to the plants. It is equally pleasant to have some solitude while tending to these plants."

Inuyasha stared at Sesshoumaru for a moment before turning away with a rueful smile on his face.

"I miss my mother a lot." Inuyasha murmured softly as he stared at the mage-light in his hand which had returned to glowing a pale icy blue as it was originally intended to.

"I miss our father." Sesshoumaru confessed recognizing the pain in Inuyasha's eyes to be the same that he himself had suffered the day Inuyasha was born. "I hated seeing you when you were little. It reminded this Sesshoumaru that our father was no longer alive."

Inuyasha looked ashamed and uncomfortable at this admission, which compelled Sesshoumaru to add, "It was through no fault of yours, Inuyasha. Our father chose to die with honour defending his beloved and his child."

"He died defending a halfling." Inuyasha muttered bitterly, his hands fisting over the orb that was now placed on his lap.

Sesshoumaru thought back to a few moments ago and considered Inuyasha's words.

_Violet eyes… Unblemished skin… the scent of new blossoms and rainwater… _

Izayoi-hime had never even remotely smelled human, not at all like the mortal villagers. Sesshoumaru had always known that. The evidence was too great to ignore.

Sesshoumaru leaned in slightly and took in a deep breath of his half-brother's scent.

_Rainwater and forest… This scent is neither that of a demon, nor is it that of a human… neither is it a mix of the two..._

Sesshoumaru thought back to the other hanyous he had encountered in his travels. All of them had smelt overwhelmingly demonic with a trace scent of their ningen heritage… Nothing at all like Inuyasha's scent.

"No..." Sesshoumaru said softly as he realized the truth of Inuyasha's claims. _How could I have ever missed it? The exotic tilt of Izayoi's eyes. The absolute symmetry of her features?_ _The never tangling, absurdly long and thick tresses._

Inuyasha looked up in surprise upon hearing the wonder in Sesshoumaru's voice."Father did not die defending a single halfling..." Sesshoumaru said looking straight into large golden eyes. "He died protecting two halflings. Two creatures that were to him far more precious than his own life."

Sesshoumaru remembered his father's final words to him before he took off on that fateful night.

"_Is there something you wish to protect, Sesshoumaru?"_

"_Something to protect…"_ Sesshoumaru found himself thinking again as he stared into the amber eyes that were so like his own yet so unlike.

Since his father's demise, Sesshoumaru had found himself working hard to preserve his father's legacy, both the Western lands and his father's hanyou pup, Inuyasha. But lately, the young youkai lord found himself wanting to protect Inuyasha from far more than just physical injury and for reasons that had little to do with his deceased father. Sesshoumaru found himself getting worked up and despising himself whenever Inuyasha was distressed in any manner. _Inuyasha must not be distressed, _his instincts screamed at him, and Sesshoumaru knew well enough to trust those instincts.

"_You mean something to me, Inuyasha."_ he recalled himself saying the night before.

Inuyasha did not seem to understand the depth of his feelings. The young dog lord himself was not certain what exactly these emotions entailed, only knowing that they were such that he had never before experienced. These feelings of his bore a marginal similarity, but were a pale imitation of what he felt for the ningen child Rin. Rin was his ward; a child under his protection. He made certain that she was unharmed and was content in the knowledge that she was safe and flourishing regardless of where she may be. When he had her companionship, it brought him pleasure, and when he did not, he was not saddened. Rin was a pleasant creature to have around, but he did not feel a need to be by her side as he did with Inuyasha.

It surprised the demon lord that Inuyasha did not question how frequently the two Naraku hunting groups would encounter each other. Every time he saw the silver haired, puppy-eared boy, he felt something within him twist painfully. It was not the pain he experienced when he first met the dog-eared boy when he was a child of eight years. No, this pain was different… sweet... and the pain had only grown stronger with their every encounter. Always he would feel the need to see Inuyasha once more… Always the need would arise to stay with the hanyou a little longer... The feelings of lust that coursed through his being were similar to what he had felt for lady Yuuen or lady Kagetsu; the only two women Sesshoumaru had ever attempted to mate with although with little success, but these other emotions he experienced Sesshoumaru did not have a name for.

The young dog lord had severed the nascent mating bonds with Kagetsu and Yuuen when their company began to wear thin on his nerves choosing to walk away from them rather than to try and reconcile their differences. But that was not so with Inuyasha...

Every time they met, apart from their secret yearly meetings, the hanyou boy had been acerbic and impudent, going out of his way to annoy and aggravate his daiyoukai sibling. Yet Sesshoumaru could never find it within himself to simply walk away from the confrontation. It was entertaining, he had convinced himself, to spar with his Otouto, be it with swords or with words.

_Spar… that was what we did... never fight… except for that one time when… _

Sesshoumaru felt his newly reformed arm react to the thought, his fist clenching slightly, proving that it was really there, not a phantom pain like he had sadly grown accustomed as of late.

"You believe me then, Sesshoumaru. That my mother was a halfling with tenjin descent?" Inuyasha murmured.

Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha, and felt his pulse quicken slightly. No one had ever made the youkai lord feel as light-headed as Inuyasha did when the hanyou boy turned to smile at him gratefully.

"Forgive me for doubting you." Sesshoumaru murmured just as softly, apologetically.

"Nah… its okay." Inuyasha exclaimed dismissively, his good will restored. "It is a pretty incredible story. Anything involving the tenjin is hard to believe."

"I have a hard time believing it myself sometimes." Inuyasha whispered, as he made the mage-light pulse.

"What happened after Isagiyoi acquired your mother." Sesshoumaru asked deeming it safe to return to their original topic of discussion. "And how did your mother come to learn sorcery if Shizenrin-hime had abandoned her?"

Inuyasha smiled softly turning back to look at his mage-light and continued with his narration. He stiffened slightly when Sesshoumaru put his arm about Inuyasha's shoulders and pulled him close, but when Sesshoumaru showed no signs of releasing him, Inuyasha slowly relaxed into the grip. Inuyasha did not complain or try to move away when the arm descended to wrap possessively around his waist, the other striped wrist coming up to once again playfully snatch away the glowing orb.

Inuyasha allowed his daiyoukai sibling to finger the orb for the moment before taking it back and giving it a gentle push away from the two inu lords. The mage-light hovered before them, casting its eerie blue glow on a purple flowered bush that was before them.

_It is rather nice to be held like this_, Inuyasha decided as the warmth spread across his body. He laid his head back against his youkai sibling's chest and allowed Sesshoumaru to rest his head atop his as Inuyasha told Sesshoumaru the incredible tale of his mother, the late princess Izayoi of Setsuna, the only child of the tennyo, Tsuki no Shizenrin, and mate to the late lord Renshoumaru, ruler of the Western Lands.

Sesshoumaru smirked from his position from above Inuyasha's head congratulating himself silently. His mother had been very correct; no knowledge was ever truly wasted.

"_See this plant Sesshoumaru? No part of this plant is useful in the concoction of any kind of poison or antidote. Nevertheless, this plant is very highly sought after. Useless you say. No Sesshoumaru, this plant is among the most useful plants to have in a conservatory. Why you ask? Well, the flowers of this plant when in full bloom have the ability to force demons into relaxation. You are too young my child to understand how best to use this plant, but I have faith in you my child. I feel certain that you will understand its significance when you are older."  
_

Sesshoumaru decided that perhaps a vase might help add a spot of colour in their shared suite.

**oOoOo **

* * *

**Character profiles of OCs created by oStilloDreamingo**

**Tsuki no Shizenrin (virgin forest of the moon)**  
Species: Tennyo  
Allegiance: Celestial realm  
Status: Unknown  
Age Group: Ancient - Immortal

**Prince Isagiyoi (manly)**  
Species: Human  
Allegiance: Setsuna  
Status: Ruler of Setsuna  
Age Group: Adult - 25

**Princess Izayoi**** (a phase of the moon) - Cannon character**  
Species: Halfling - 1/2 Human, 1/2 Tennyo  
Allegiance: Setsuna; Western Lands  
Status: Princess of Setsuna  
Age Group: Juvenile - 15

**oOoOo **

* * *

_**Author's Note: **_

**Special thanks to my reviewers:** silversnow10, Russanya, MiseryluvsDeath aka Fidele, Sesshygirl, Reptilian Goddess, Angel no Yami, Gabby Night, RKInu241, PolkaDOt, C-loke, sleepless, Sayuka, Mirokuluver's Friend, halwen, koishii-tenshi, irat, dimonyo-anghel, Sekre, animelover6000, kallipso, AreYouLonelyForMe, Silvermane1, seto'swifey, galliechan, VampJenna, darkangel36, pinwheel926, petpeeves12, TeeDee, Kibou32, puretsubasa, Solstrale, IvyLady, Demitria Miriam, Kitsune Luver, Jester08, Raincurtain, blkwingangel, the blasphemous, Shinimegami7, SANGO QUEEN OF SLAYERS, EmeraldSnake11, Princess Sin, DemonGoddess061, littlefiction, DINKA SAYURI ROYAL, Chibi Tsuki Hikari, Sam, cherry fantasy, thr3e and Natasha AKA Tash.

**silversnow10, MiseryluvsDeath aka Fidele, Sesshygirl, Reptilian Goddess, Angel no Yami, Gabby Night, RKInu241, PolkaDOt, sleepless, koishii-tenshi, Sekre, kallipso, AreYouLonelyForMe, Silvermane1, seto'swifey, galliechan, petpeeves12, TeeDee, puretsubasa, Jester08, EmeraldSnake11, DINKA SAYURI ROYAL:**  
grin Glad you liked the story and found it to be not lacking originality and approved of the Phantom Spirit! I'm glad you guys enjoyed the romance in the last chapter and hope you enjoy this new chapter as well!

**Russanya:**  
LOL! I always appreciate it when you take the time to write me a review. Constructive criticism is always helpful. You made a good point when you said that it was strange that Sesshoumaru did not do as much as required to make sure that Inuyasha presented himself to best effect. I will be addressing that issue in the next chapter. Thanks for pointing it out.  
Thanks for your confidence in my writing skills. Unfortunately, I've lost my Beta, so from this point on, I suspect there will be a lot of silly grammar mistakes present in my story. It makes me want to cry. I'm a perfectionist you know. Grammar mistakes are unacceptable.  
And for the "Phantom Spirit" Thanks for your approval. After I read your review, I found myself agreeing with you whole heartedly. "Phantom Spirit" really does not suit. I have renamed it to simply "Spirit Possession", the Japanese word for which luckily is "Kitsunetsuki". I think it works out very well. A trivial change I know, but it makes me feel tonnes better.  
Hmm… lol, my eternal slave you say? That does tempt me towards wanting to attempt to do an InuSess instead of a SessInu. At this point I will not tell you which one I will be using, because that is one of my major plot developments. Hopefully I will be able to make a strong statement when the final orientation of the couple is revealed. At that time, I hope you will let me know if I have just crossed the OOC line to the point of no return, or have actually pulled it off.  
I'm glad found the idea that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are not true brothers; hence, a mating between them is not true incest. I am glad you picked up on the finer details. Yep, this will definitely strengthen Sesshoumaru's claim when he tries to make Inuyasha his mate, hence co-ruler of the West.  
LOL! A mega-flirt are you? Me? I'm a Plain Jane stay at home kind of person, entirely too enamoured with books, music and cooking to want to go out and get a social life. My family frowns upon relations outside of an arranged marriage hence, I am not allowed to flirt or get a boyfriend. Hence anything I write in my fiction that is romantic is completely the fruit of my imagination and therefore has nothing to do with reality. Hence to all of you out there with some romantic experience, please forgive my ineptitude with romantic scenarios. I have now decided that I will not be doing a Lemon scene, because I am just not comfortable writing it. Lots of foreplay and fluffiness, but I will not be writing about the actual coupling.  
grin I enjoy picking on Sesshoumaru too. I hope you enjoyed his paranoia when he thinks that Inuyasha is reading his mind. He was just being incredibly obvious with his blank looks; his thoughts weren't that difficult to guess at.  
Thanks for the hint at what an appropriate length for a chapter might be. This chapter is about ten pages long. Considerably shorter than your recommended 15 – 20 pages, but this is what I feel comfortable with writing.  
Do let me know if you liked this chapter. Once again, constructive criticism is always appreciated.

**C-loke:**  
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy the tidbit at the end! I hope you enjoy this new chapter! It's no where near as long as the last one, nevertheless I hope it pleases you.

**Sayuka:**  
Thanks! I had been afraid that the Phantom Spirit, no renamed Spirit Possession may have sounded a bit overused. I hope you like the new chapter.

**Mirokuluver's Friend:**  
LOL! Why thank you! I like that line very much myself. I hope you find this new chapter equally entertaining.

**halwen**:  
Thank you! I'm glad you like my writing style! And you are correct. I reread my fic, and as you said, the 'phantom spirit' does seem a little bit forced. I have decided that sometime after chrismas and before new year, I will go back and add in this ability in the scenario where Mizuiro and Kyoushin are chatting when the inu siblings have crossed the mist barrier. That way, there will be some foreshadowing so that the ability does not seem as abrupt as it did. And thank you for liking my plotline in general. Hope to hear from you soon!

**Irat:**  
Hey thanks! This update came a bit late, but as it is, life got in the way of my writing. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope you enjoyed this one as well.  
As for your questions, you asked: "Are the rebellious youkai going to be there soon or wont they have an important role?"  
Answer: Yes, they will be appearing soon. It will play an important role in my plotline. It will cause some major shifts in the internal politics of the West. However, that will only be a small piece in the hue tapestry I'm trying to weave. Hopefully the end results won't be grotesque.  
Another thing you pointed out was that Healer Chiyu picked up on the bit that Inuyasha is responsible for Sesshoumaru's rapidly regenerated arm. Is this important? Yes very! In the coming chapters, Inuyasha is going to need Kannagi and Chiyu's co-operation for some things he will need to do.  
You also pointed out that I quote: "Does Inuyasha really not know how to dress at such an event or doesnt it matter to him?"  
My reply to that would be that Inuyasha really doesn't care what others think of him. If he did, he would have been reduced to a nervous spineless lump long ago. Sesshoumaru will be addressing Inuyasha's presentation issues in the next chapter.  
Thank you so much for reviewing! It really helped me out with the writing process. Please do review soon.

**dimonyo-anghel:  
**LOL! You are the only person to sympathise with the vixens. I'm glad they have some supporters. Glad you liked my story. I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter as well!

**animelover6000**:  
Yep, Sesshoumaru was not physically touching the vixens when he was torturing them. Glad you like my fic. Hope to hear from you soon!

**VampJenna:  
**Thank you for your offer! I'll consider it. For now though, I will be sticking to tamer fluff. I think I will be able to handle it. LOL. Do review! I'd love to hear from you again.

**darkangel36**:  
LOL! Thank you! A put in a little fluff in this chapter. I hope you like it as well!

**pinwheel926**:  
Thanks! I was aiming for cute, I'm glad you found it to be so. Also, thanks for letting me know your take on my "Phantom Spirit". Hope to hear from you again!

**Kibou32:  
**Hey thanks! LOL. Apparently I am not very good at editing my own stuff, thanks for pointing out my grammar faults. I fixed my last chapter so that it is a smoother read. You are correct that in some places, I was not explicit enough in the movements and positions of the characters in the scene. I went over those, and put in the necessary corrections.  
As for your question: "Why does Inuyasha who is not prone to hysterics suddenly loses his composure not once but a couple of times in the course of the chapter?"  
Well the answer to that is that Inuyasha had until now been interacting with Sesshoumaru almost exclusively. He had counted on having two days with Sesshoumaru uninterrupted. When the news comes that the vixens demand an audience, Inuyasha's composure is thrown off in face of the impending uncertainty as to what the results of the encounter may be. While he has accepted that he is required to attend the Gathering as per his father's wishes, Inuyasha is not comfortable with the idea of meeting strange powerful youkai.  
As for your other question: "Why does he not know that he could bare Sesshoumaru heirs if his mother taught him how to present himself to Sesshoumaru when they first met?"  
Answer: Inuyasha knows that both he and Sesshoumaru can bear heirs. He was just looking for excuses to get Sesshoumaru to stop molesting him.  
And your last question: "Is Inuyasha going to say sometime soon about his mother's origins?"  
Answer: LOL! Yep in this chapter I have begun discussing some of Izayoi's past. I suspect the rest will be covered in the next chapter.  
I hope that helps! Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

**Solstrale**:  
Thank you for your insight on the PhS (soon to be renamed Spirit Possession) I thought your point regarding the Hyuuga curse seal was very valid, but as you suggested, I decided to leave it as it is. Thank you so much for your support regarding my story. I will try not to let myself be influenced outside my comfort zone by reviewers. Hope you enjoy this new chapter as well! Looking forward to hearing from you!

**IvyLady**:  
Thanks! I am glad you enjoyed the little scenario involving the kitsune ladies. You mentioned sending me a PM with further criticism. LOL. That was the week that email system got screwed up, so I never did get it. No worries there. I hope you liked this new chapter. Hope to hear from you soon!

**Demitria Miriam:**  
Aww.. Thanks! Ièm glad you liked it so much! LOL! I like it too when Sesshoumaru is acting all high and mighty. Please do review again! I find it very encouraging to hear form you.

**Kitsune Luver: **  
This story is probably one of the what, like 10 good stories on this site.  
You so made my day when you said that. Thank You! I'm glad you liked my attempt at bridging loopholes in the anime plotline.  
As for your comment regarding lemons, your point is well taken. I think so too that the mating ritual is crucial in demon society, and that they do not find it the least bit embarrassing. I will be covering as much as I could in regarding the ceremony. However, I think I will probably fall short of writing all the way to the actual climax, because even though the demons may find it to be perfectly embarrassing, I have a hard time fighting my blushes when attempting to write such a scenario.  
After your comment on the little fluffy scene tat the end of the last chapter, I went back and reread it. You were right. It was a pretty difficult read. I have cleaned it up to the best of my ability, and hopefully it is now a smoother read.  
You also wanted to know why it was so urgent for Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha to go see Kannagi and Chiyu. I hope I have made that clear in this chapter. If not, please do let me know. As for Sesshoumaru being less than subtle about the fact that it was Inuyasha that healed his arm, please note that Sesshoumaru only promised not to reveal how Inuyasha healed his arm. That does not mean that he would deny that Inuyasha was in face responsible for its regeneration. In demon society, it is common to harbour secrets that make one seem mysterious and powerful. In the long run, Inuyasha will be seen as powerful potential threat or ally because of his mysterious abilities. You will see it happening as the story progresses. I hope that explanation seems plausible to you.  
Also, several of my readers pointed out that the little fluffy scene, the physical interaction seemed off. As in it was unclear how the inu siblings ended up in the positions they did. Once again I went cack and cleaned up that little piece.  
I have addressed a little of who Inuyasha's grandmother is in this chapter. If you have any questions regarding that, do let me know!  
LOL! Yours is the kind of reviews I like. I don't find it degrading at all. Thank you so much for pointing out the flaws in my story. It helps me out with the writing process.  
Hope to hear from you soon!

**Raincurtain:  
**LOL! Don't we all love long chapters! I'm sorry I have to disappoint you this time though. I promise I'll try to make the next chapter longer.  
I'm glad you approved of the scene where Inuyasha slams the door in a huff. I had hoped it would add more realism and I'm glad that it had worked.  
Also, thank you so much for your comments regarding the scene involving the kitsune. I took them to heart and am working on making the necessary changes to make it a smoother read.  
LOL! I'm glad you liked the little heart-to-heart. I hope you enjoyed the tidbit in this chapter. I plan to give Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru a reasonable amount of bonding time before they go ahead and get mated. And don't you worry, I have no intention to abandon this fic. If I do, I'd probably go insane from all the would-have-beens and could-have-beens that have been floating around my head since I started writing this piece. I need to get it down on paper! Thank you so much for reviewing, and I hope you will share your thoughts with me once again. Hope to hear from you soon!

**the blasphemous**:  
LOL! Oh dear I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you or gross you out. grin I do find it to be an interesting topic of discussion, sadly for you. Nevertheless, do not fear. I will stave off discussing anything non-fic related henceforth, so hopefully I won't be pushing any buttons.  
Thank you for your comments regarding the PhS. I have had several reviewers share your observation, so I am currently looking into it. Fixing that error is in the works. As for your confusion regarding Inuyasha's frightened response to the vixen's screams, he was not aware that Sesshoumaru had such a capability, nor did he understand how it functioned. He was just afraid as anyone would be when faced with the strange and inexplicable. Glad you didn't find the romantic scene too corny. LOL! And now that you mention it, I like that sentence too. It does make me sound a little psychotic, doesn't it? Hope to hear from you soon! Do review!

**Shinimegami7:  
**sigh I don't blame you for it. First thing I thought after finishing writing it was Yu-Gi-Oh too. I was probably inspired by it I guess. Thanks for thinking it did not lack in originality though, and I'm glad you enjoyed the romance scene. Do review again. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

**SANGO QUEEN OF SLAYERS:  
**I'm so relieved. I'm glad you are getting the hang of the reiryoku and saigen usages. I am using sorcerous abilities pretty heavily in this story, so it would be unfortunate if it didn't come across clearly to my readers. Thank you so much for saying that my fic isn't sappy or corny (Although I will understand perfectly if you change your mind after reading this chapter). I hope to hear from you again. Please do review.

**Princess Sin:  
**Thank you so much! I'm glad you think I'm doing a good job with this fic. I try to add in those little bits to add realism to my story, after all in the anime the inu siblings are constantly at each others throats, and not trying to make a truce as I portrayed them to be. Also, thanks for approving of the PhS. I hope you enjoyed this new chapter. Please do let me know!

**littlefiction**:  
Really? Thanks! I'm glad you found that chapter to be touching. And what you said about the PhS, "As for the Phantom Spirit, it's not cliched, it's classic. Mind torture is used in multiple stories because it's a classic display of chilling power. Simply put, it rocks." Than you so much! You made my day and chased away my niggling doubts. Also, I try to not repeat myself as much as possible. You will notice that some elements of this chapter has been borrowed from the precious chapter. Do let me know if you think it was a bit too repetitive. Hope to hear from you soon!

**Sam:   
**LOL! I'm glad you liked the new chapter! I rather agree with you. I too enjoy it when other authors go into the technicalities of any techniques (Like In some Naruto fics I've read).  
Thanks for saying that the interaction between Chiyu and Kannagi, the characters themselves and the PhS don't seem to be clichéd. I also worry that that would be the case, because this is my first attempt at publishing a story, and I want to do it right.  
You asked me if I was planning on doing an M-Preg thing with the inu siblings. The answer to that question is that at this point, maybe, maybe not. I will likely be writing the story to the point where they know that they have conceived. After that point, I will probably terminate the fic. My story would have been told by then. Frankly, I have a hard time stomaching M-Preg fics, especially those that go into the details of the term and birth. I'd rather not do it if I don't have to. However, if it seems to be able to advance the plotline, I might. LOL! Its always a pleasure to respond to my reviewers! You have o idea how happy it makes me to know that someone out there appreciates my writing, and actually took the time to let me know.  
sigh I long to read the manga. I'm hoping to have the scanlations downloaded by January, so that I can start reading. Yay Canada! LOL! I would never have known you were from Quebec. Your English sounds pretty flawless to me. Anyways, do let me know what you think of my new chapter!

**cherry fantasy:  
**I'm so glad you enjoyed the interaction between the inu siblings. Your comments regarding the kitsune ladies pleased me very much. That's exactly how I wanted them to be seen! LOL! And thanks for approving of my PhS idea. I'm glad you think it is an ability worthy of Sesshoumaru.  
grin Aren't we all at hopeless romantics? I'm glad you enjoyed the fluff. Nothing as intense in this chapter, but I hope it does sate your appetite somewhat. DO let me know your take on it. I'm looking forward to your review.

**thr3e**:  
LOL! You came on a bit strong there. Kill them for their defiance? I guess that was Sesshoumaru's original plan. Too bad it is mating season, and killing is prohibited, and the fact that both ladies are very highly placed. I hope you enjoyed this new chapter! Do review again.

**Natasha AKA Tash**:  
I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far. I originally did not have any plans for writing about their future pups, but after reading your review, I have decided to give it some thought. I concept is still in the works, but I think I might do a few chapters with the children and the inu siblings.  
You wondered who will be dominant in the relationship and who would have the children? The issue will be a tad complicated, and I promise to address it in future chapters. I will be addressing the exact ritual involved in the mating of demons soon, so please be patient. And yep InuYasha is capable of having children despite his mixed heritage.  
Another of your questions was: how long it would take to regenerate Sess's arm, since its so painful, when its complete, would be it able to work as efficiently as his old arm without pain and would it take time for Sess to be able to use it?  
The answer: Yes, definitely he would be able to use it. Sesshoumaru is a full blooded powerful youkai, and as such given the time, he could recover from the loss of any organ or limb, provided it is not a vital organ needed to be kept alive (If his heart is ripped out, he's dead, no help for it). Sesshoumaru would be able to use his new arm efficiently, although he would likely have to relearn proper movements. With enough practise, it would be as good as his former arm. For the purposes of this fic, left on its own, Sesshoumaru would have recovered his limb in four to five decades. Not really that long considering a demons lifespan.  
Don't worry about asking me questions! I'm happy to be able to clear any doubts you may have, and as I keep saying, it helps me out tremendously with writing my story. I'm looking forward to hearing from you again!

**Chibi Tsuki Hikari:  
**Thanks for loving the kimonos! I didn't know there are discussion sites regarding whether the inu sibs can bear pups. I would like it if you would mention one of these in your next review. Hope to hear from you soon!

**DemonGoddess061**:  
Thank you so much for your revew! It was very heartening. I'm glad you approve of the Phantom Spirit and find my fic to be quite original. I have revealed some of Izayoi's heritage in this chapter, and more will be coming pretty soon! Do let me know your take on the story of Izayoi's birth. Also, I'm glad you enjoyed the InuSess interaction.  
Also, thank you so much for clearing up my confusion regarding Ephedra. It was very interesting to note its effects (and that it is used to make crystal meth) LOL! I'm a geek who reads too much about all the myths and legends I can get my hands on. To each his own. St least your interest has some practical applications!  
Hope to hear from you soon! Do review.  
Oh oops. Your PM – thank you for mentioning that. I don't know any animal breeders per se, but I have read several novels centred around race horses, so I picked up on that piece of info regarding whether the heritage can be traced through dams or sires. As you said, I am giving the dam priority towards recognition of true siblings.

**blkwingangel**:

LOL! That would have been true, except Sesshoumaru is trying to get Inuyasha to feel comfortable in his presence, so freaking him out is not an option. You were right about the grammar faults, please feel free to point them out, you see I too am a stickler for details. Thank you for your take on my PhS (soon to be renamed "Spirit Possession"). I'm glad you don't find it to be lacking originality. Hope to hear from you soon! Do review again.

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**oOoOo **

**Everyone listed here, thank you so much for your encouragement (especially you little fiction. You really helped me put life in perspective). I am sorry I disappointed you the last time by not posting a chapter. I hope this will make up for it. Enjoy!:** Kris, cherry fantasy, animelover6000, Talchy, littlefiction, Shinimegami7, Jester08, Katiebird27, Sesshygirl and Sekre.

**katiebird27:**  
I am currently working on a profile for Inuyasha to help me with writing the fic, but I don't think I will be posting it. Nevertheless, I assure that I will address the issues you have raised as I progress with the story. However, the answer to your question would be that, since Inuyasha has had reiryoku training from his mother and grandmother, he was able to apply those teachings to saigen manipulation, hence his ability to mould saigen. I have taken your suggestion to heart, and am trying to work the scenario you had suggested into the fic. Hope to hear from you again!

**oOoOo **

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**+++ Information Tidbits +++**

**Everything written below was written for the use of oStilloDreamingo exclusively (that's me), to help me out with the writing process. I would like it if no one tries to plagiarize and use anything written below and pass it off as their own. I have added some new information here that I had not posted the last time. Reading this is completely unnecessary for your reading pleasure. You may go through it at your leisure if you choose to do so. Yes, I know this is tonnes of information. But remember, I did say this was going to be a long fic. I will be breaking it down into bite-sized pieces as the plot progresses. If anyone would like to see any specific information posted, Please be sure to say so in your review. I will be posting the specifics the specifics of the Mating Ritual soon.**

**Demon Classification System**

**Classes:** Upper Caste (Royals, Warriors and Nobles), Lower Caste (Lesser Demons) and Familiars.

All demons gather their saigen from nature and from the celestial bodies (Sun, Moon and Stars). Hence the larger the territory a youkai lays claim to, the greater will be their levels of saigen.

**Upper Caste:**

Predictably, these are the youkai with the highest levels of saigen. Only youkai belonging to the upper caste are eligible as guests at the Gathering. These demons watch their numbers very carefully. The birth of a new youkai is permitted only when another of the same clan has died. In case of extra, unplanned births, like in the case of twins or triplets, the strongest child is recognized as "true born", and the other child is considered "extraneous". The extraneous child is not allowed to leave the clan nor is it allowed to breed. The child is simply left to its own devises, caged within the bounds of the clan until the day it dies.

Within the upper caste, there exists a sub-caste system: Royalty, Warrior class, Nobility.

**Royalty:**

This class of youkai have the highest levels of saigen and generally appear humanoid, but possess long elfin ears and exotic hair, skin and eye colouration. They are most easily recognizable by their facial and body markings.

Upon reaching maturity (between 175 and 180 years of age), the members of the royal clans acquire an alternate form also known as their "true form". The true form is their animal transformation which is normally of significantly large proportions (Like Sesshoumaru and his gargantuan silver dog form). The true form keeps growing until the age of 5,000, when it reaches its maximum size.

The royal class demons are the most in tune with nature and are highly territorial. Some of the royal clans do not possess any particular animal affiliate in nature, but instead have an affinity for plants (Like Lady Suzuran of the Doukasu clan).

Essentially however, the primary determinant for any youkai to belong to the royal class is that they must possess preposterously large saigen levels. This is the deciding factor that leads Inuyasha to be classified as a royal and not his father's bloodline.

In this fiction, the demons belonging to the royal class will generally be mythical creatures that may or may not have counterparts in nature. (The only exception I have made thus far is the Golden Tiger clan of the East. The creature of myth is actually the great silver tiger. The Western lords are already silver, so I took artistic liberty and made the tigers golden.)

Of the four Demonic Nations North, South, East and West (I know, I know, not the most creative of names), the Western Lands covers the most territory and is the most opulent with the greatest number of demons as well as humans. Hence, Sesshoumaru, given his canine nature resulting in very strong affinity to the moon and being the Lord of the Western Lands, he is the most powerful demon in existence. It is his responsibility to police the Western Lands and keep an eye on the other youkai clans living in his lands. Sesshoumaru is directly bonded to the Western Lands (strengthened through his mother's earth and plant affinity), is responsible for assigning and regulating the expanse of territory the other royal clans of the West may lay claim to. For this reason, Sesshoumaru is forever wandering over the Western Lands, making certain that none of the boundaries have been breached and that there are no renegade royal classed demons in the West. Sesshoumaru is also able to extend his senses into the soil of the Western Lands and track specific saigen signatures.

The royal clans maintain their high saigen levels by absorbing the natural energies from the lands, and converting it to saigen in their bodies. The direct effect of restraining the boundaries of these territories is that the greatest level of saigen possessed by these clans is also restricted making them easier to control by the Western lord. The Celestial bodies being an unrestricted source of natural energy, the tribes with the most canine heritage are generally the strongest, which is also the reason for the uncontested supremacy of the Western Lands given their canine rulers.

As the saigen levels of the royal clan is determined by the size of the occupied territory, the royal clans prefer to keep their numbers as low as possible to boost the saigen levels of individual royal demons.

**Warrior Class:**

Warrior class demons are the only upper caste demons that possess no transformational abilities.

They come in two classes: A humanoid class with elfin ears but no markings, facial or otherwise; and a beast class which are generally look exactly like their counterparts in nature, with the exception that they may possess elemental abilities (Wolf tribe/Wind) and possess supernatural endurance and speed.

The humanoid class relies on hand-to-hand combat, weaponry and an affinity to a single element in battle. The beast class generally make use of fangs, talons or claws, but also sometimes possess elemental abilities. The most powerful of the beast class are able to form human speech.

Aside from an alpha pair selected from the humanoid class to rule the tribe, a secondary leader is also selected from among the beast class and is known as the pack-lord/flock-lord (species dependant).

Some warrior clans artificially create a third class by combining an infant humanoid and an infant beast demon ritually, to produce a hybrid demon. The results for these combinations are varied and not always successful (Remember the Were-cats from the episodes where the panther demon tribe attacked). These hybrid demons are not procreative and hence are not formally recognized as a subclass.

The warrior class demons aid the reigning Lord of the Lands by not taking up territory, and keeping contact with other demon clans to make sure that their numbers are restricted. They also serve as the liaison between human villages and the youkai lord. They draw their power exclusively from the Celestial bodies.

For this fiction, the animals I use to be of the warrior class will be the natural greater predators (wolves, panthers, eagles and owls).

**Nobility:**

The Nobility class is the weakest of the Upper caste based on levels of saigen. They have the ability from birth to shape shift between their elfin form and their beast form which is typically a lesser predator in nature that is more reliant on stealth and cunning than strength when capturing their prey (golden fox, tawny lynx, raven and lyrebird). Their beast form looks exactly like their counterpart in nature, although they are stronger, faster and more resilient. The noble clans possess no elemental abilities and are reliant on the celestial bodies exclusively to maintain their saigen levels. The strongest of the noble clans are those that are allied with a royal clan, because the royal clans have the ability to imbibe the nobles with their own saigen, hence raising their saigen levels. In return for the saigen, the nobles generally serve the royals loyally. Nobles also possess a natural fascination with royals, hence every noble clan generally seek to ally themselves with a royal clan. Not surprisingly, the strongest noble clan is the clan allied to the ruling royal clan of the lands.

The nobles are mostly renowned for their skilled healers, craftsmen, spies, assassins and sorcerers. The ability to mould saigen with finesse is exclusive to noble clans, although royals and warriors are also able to mould saigen to no great affect (Sesshoumaru and his energy whip). The nobles possess a very highly structured social hierarchy.

**Lower Caste:**

The lower caste demons are also known as lesser demons. They pretty much include any demon that fails to possess the required amount of saigen to be able to contest a noble demon in one-on-one combat for lack of a better explanation. These demons lack any kind of social structure although they do sometimes form bands for combative advantage. The lower caste demons also do not possess any kind of transformative abilities, although some of their numbers are able to cast glamories that work on weak-willed humans making them think that they are in actuality speaking with another human/demon. These demons roam the countryside, and are eliminated by both humans and upper caste demons when they make a nuisance of themselves.

For the purpose of this fiction, Jinenji is the offspring of a lesser demon (lower caste) and a human female. The outward appearance of Jinenji's father is debatable considering that he had made use of a glamourie to seduce Jinenji's mother. Hence a hanyou like Jinenji with the demonic parent being from among the lower caste will have a bestial appearance. A hanyou like Inuyasha or Shiori on the other hand with the demon parent being from among the upper caste (both are royals) possess a more humanoid appearance.

**Familiars:**

Some say that Familiar creatures are not demons at all, but rather they are creatures of spirit. They typically possess two forms; one that appears harmless concealing their true power (Kilala's domestic cat form) and another that is much larger and ferocious and possesses elemental abilities (Kilala's Saber-toothed Firecat form).

Some familiars possess a single form alone, but in such cases, they typically possess multiple heads (Ah-Un).

Other familiar creatures never reveal their true form to anyone other than their bonded masters (The Rats in the Mist Barrier).

Familiar creatures have a natural tendency to ally themselves with particular clans. They are renowned for their friendly inquisitive natures and absolute loyalty. Familiars stalk both human and demons alike for extended periods of time in their search for a bonded partner/master. The reasons for forming such bonds are unknown as familiar creatures lack speech abilities.

There are many myths surrounding the origins of Familiar beasts, however, no one knows for certain where they come from as no one has ever witnessed or tracked the birth of familiar beasts (Example: Kuroro the Nekomata had perfectly ordinary one-tailed kittens).

**Demon Lifecycle:**

From when a demon is born, until the age of 180 years, the demon ages one year for every ten years they live (Example: a demon that is 160 years old would appear similar to a 16 year old human maturity-wise).

The demon acquires sexual maturity (goes into heat) at 175 years at the earliest and 182 at the latest. Upon reaching sexual maturity, the physical aging of the demon slows down considerably and stops all together at the age of 400 years. At the age of 400, the demon has the appearance of a 22 to 25 year human. After this point, the only sign of aging, if any in the demon is the gradual bleaching of their colouration.

Contrary to popular belief, demons are not immortal; they simply possess ridiculously long life-spans. Between the ages of 7,000 to 8,000 years the inner coils of the demon that are responsible for circulating saigen throughout their bodies begin to gradually collapse. The demon dies either when the inner coils have collapsed completely which may take as long as 3,000 years, or as happens more frequently, when another demon takes advantage of this weakened state and kills the aging demon. Hence it is a common practise among demons to create secret lairs and strongholds for themselves where they may hide themselves once their saigen channel begins to deteriorate.

Although the demon acquires sexual maturity at approximately 180 years of age, the demon is socially recognized to be mate-worthy at the age of 200. This is done to protect the demons from being forcefully or thoughtlessly mated when their sexuality has only just been recently awakened. Should any mating have been initiated, both perpetrators are separated and are not allowed any contact with each other for the duration of time it takes for the nascent mating bond to dissolve.

Once a demon reach 200 years of age, if the demon is in line of succession or is entitled to any land or titles, they are formally initiated into society at the Gathering where their titles and holdings are made public (Example: Lord Shinkirou – heir to the golden fox clan; Healer Chiyu – Head healer of Koukyo, etc.). There isn't any fanfare made for untitled demons and demons with no holdings.

Within the demon community, only the alpha pair and their heirs are referred to as Lord or Lady (Example: Lord Kyoushin, Lady Mizuiro, etc.). Other demons within the community are either recognized by their talents (Example: Sorceress Kannagi, Healer Chiyu, etc.) or are referred to only by their given name in spoken conversation or with the honorific Master/Mistress in recorded documents (Kouji/Master Kouji, Shikiri/Mistress Shikiri).

**Inuyasha's Lifecycle:**

Inuyasha from birth to the age of seventeen underwent growth as is normal for a human being, after which his aging slowed down to imperceptible degrees. He entered his first heat at the age of fourteen and has been since been experiencing his heat cycle every spring during mating season. Inuyasha had stopped aging at the rate of humans at the age of seventeen, and seems to have settled into the normal aging cycle of a demon. He currently has the appearance of an eighteen year old.

Inuyasha is referred to as Lord Inuyasha in acknowledgement of the fact that he is prolific and that as Sesshoumaru is the last remaining Silver Dog, Inuyasha is automatically his heir apparent as he alone possesses the blood of the Silver Dog within his veins and has the potential to revive the clan and the power to police the West.

I had originally intended to post the details of the mating ritual here, but then I deleted that portion because it gave away entirely too much of my plot. I'll have more on that soon enough.

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_**To all my readers: **_

Hi Everyone. LOL! I managed to update before Christmas. YAY! To Everyone out there, Season's greetings, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Eid Mubarak, Happy New Years, and any other greetings I may have missed! A lot of different faiths will be celebrating in the coming fortnight! So everyone, I hope you have a great time no matter where you are and what you might be doing!

Anyways, I wasn't certain if this needed to go into a disclaimer or not, but obviously, I do not own Izayoi. Izayoi is a canon character, whose past we know little about. As this is a fan fiction, I took the liberty of creating a past for her to fill in the gaps in the story, to suit my purposes. In the anime, all we know of Izayoi is that she is a princess from somewhere that had fallen in love with a dog demon and had borne his child. The princess also had a samurai admirer who went by the name Setsuna no Takemaru, which roughly translates into Takemaru of Setsuna. Setsuna may very well be his clan name or the name of his battalion. However since it is convenient for me, I am making Setsuna the land Izayoi was a princess of, which is also Takemaru's birthplace. Since they are no longer in Setsuna, but in the Western lands, it follows logic that Takemaru would introduce himself by the country he is/was affiliated to.

As for Tsuki no Shizenrin – yep, she is entirely my own creation. Tsuki no Shizenrin literally translates into Virgin Forest of the Moon (yep, it's a pun. Virgin, yeah right!).

I am not very familiar with Japanese folklore, and have a passing familiarity with Western/European folklore. However, in the anime, there are several references to tennyo (heavenly maidens) particularly in reference to their spectacular beauty, incredible power and immortality and that they come from the moon and sometimes come down to Earth. According to a legend I came across, Tennyo "Heavenly maidens" in Eastern myth weave the tapestry of the night sky and are said to be stunningly beautiful. The Tennyo come to Earth to bathe and to trap one on Earth, you would have to steal their feathered robe so that they wouldn't be able to rise back into heaven (I'm guessing that's what the robe thing Kurosaki Ichigo wore to fly and rescue Kuchiki Rukia was (talking about BLEACH) No idea why a tennyo would want to wear something so ratty just to come to Earth for a bath. I thought they are supposed to have a good fashion sense. Bleh… who knows…).

In Western folklore, there exists the legend of the Fair folk (Also called the Elves, Faeries or the Good Neighbours. Not to be confused with fairies. I'm not talking Barbie in Fairytopia.). The Fair folk are said to be completely good creatures/ creatures of the light court (also called Seleighe – Pronounced shee) or completely evil creatures/ creatures of the dark court (also called Unseleighe – Pronounced unshee). These elves are said to be tall graceful creatures with angular features (feline, majestic etc, etc, etc), pale unmarked skin (smooth as silk as fine as alabaster/porcelain/snow. Pick your favourite description), flaxen hair (like sunshine and spun gold, once again feel free to be poetic) and green eyes (the rarest and finest of emeralds and so on and so forth). Basically think the Lord of the Rings. The elves are renowned for their fondness for children as they seldom conceive themselves. They have been known to steal mistreated children from the mortal realm and leave a changeling behind in its place. The changeling would sicken and die in the mortal plane, while the formerly abused child would flourish under the care of the Fair Folk. These children would develop an unwavering loyalty for their Elfin masters and remained forever in the elfin plane.

I have combined the heavenly maidens of Eastern folklore and the Elves of Western folklore to create my lovely celestial creatures (Tenjin). Please note – They do not live on the moon, they simply take up the moon as a surname to signify that they are not creatures of the Mortal realm/Earth. The notion of Humans taking up surnames is a fairly recent development and is done mostly within aristocracy for the sake of tracing bloodlines as is necessary to figure out the rank of each member of the clan. In rural populations, surnames are insignificant and people are generally addressed by their function in society (Example: Sango the Demon Slayer, Kaede the Priestess, Hisoka the Fisherman, Mai the Dancer, Sai the Beggar, etc.). The Tenjin (Celestial creatures) can just as easily call themselves to be of the sun, stars or sky as they may choose. The idea is that they are beyond the reach of mortals as are the sun, moon, stars and sky and as immortal and timeless as the afore mentioned. They live in a separate realm (called the celestial plane) where each of them have vast holdings. They while away their days entrenched in eons old intrigue of their own, and when they grow bored of their never changing celestial realm, they come to the mortal realm and tamper with human minds and societies and allow themselves to be entertained by the ensuing chaos. My Tenjin are neither good nor evil but are merely immortal creatures of caprice whose actions have little to do with logic as humans and demons understand the word. Have more questions regarding the tenjin? Feel free to ask.

On another note, I must say that I was very surprised by the strong negative reactions my reviewers expressed in regards to the sorceress and healer kitsune. I had intended for my readers to be slightly annoyed with them, not hate them completely! Oh well, they aren't really major characters, although they will be playing an important part later on in the story. And I was very pleased by how positively the final interaction between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru was received. Also, a reviewer of mine pointed out that the name "Phantom spirit" did not suit the ability, so I changed it to "Spirit Possession" which I believe is more appropriate. Everyone, thank you so much for letting me know how you felt about that ability. It really helped me get past as block in my plotline.

As always, thanks for reading my fic and please do review. I have had a few rather rude PMs sent in to me asking me not to waste the reading time by posting "Pointless Drivel". I must say that rather hurt. I am currently going through a difficult time in my life, and I would rather like it if I wasn't harassed by faceless individuals. Nevertheless, I promise henceforth I will not be posting anymore meaningless drabble like I posted last time, without a chapter of my fic accompanying it. I have cut and pasted the information posted last time into this chapter as you may have noticed. Again I repeat, this information tidbits are absolutely unnecessary for my readers to understand my plotline. I had written it out to help me with figuring out my plotline and how I want my characters to interact based on a hierarchical system. Thank you for your patience!

**Please read and review!**


	15. 2,6 Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha

**Pairing:** Inuyasha/Sesshomaru

**Warnings:** Rated M, Inucest, YAOI, swearing.

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**oOoOo**

**_Recap_**

_It is rather nice to be held like this_, Inuyasha decided as the warmth spread across his body. He laid his head back against his youkai sibling's chest and allowed Sesshoumaru to rest his head atop his as Inuyasha told Sesshoumaru the incredible tale of his mother, the late princess Izayoi of Setsuna, the only child of the tennyo, Tsuki no Shizenrin, and mate to the late lord Renshoumaru, ruler of the Western Lands.

Sesshoumaru smirked from his position from above Inuyasha's head, congratulating himself silently. His mother had been very correct; no knowledge was ever truly wasted.

"_See this plant Sesshoumaru? No part of this plant is useful in the concoction of any kind of poison or antidote. Nevertheless, this plant is very highly sought after. Useless you say? No Sesshoumaru, this plant is among the most useful plants to have in a conservatory. Why you ask? Well, the flowers of this plant when in full bloom have the ability to force demons into relaxation. You are too young to understand how best to use this plant, but I have faith in you my child. I feel certain that you will understand its significance when you are older."_

Sesshoumaru decided that perhaps a flower vase might help add a spot of colour in their shared suite.

**oOoOo **

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**_Hidden in Plain Sight  
Arc 02 – Palace of the Western Lands_**

**_oStilloDreamingo _**

**_Chapter 14_**

_**Mating Season: **Day 4  
_

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"Sesshoumaru this is ridiculous!" Inuyasha snapped rising from his seat on the high-chair; and standing before the mirror. "Tell them to leave me alone! I don't need a hair cut!" 

Behind Inuyasha, a male fox (presumably in his late six hundreds according to Mizuiro) picked up a lock of hair, examined their ends and then shook his head in disgust. Inuyasha snarled and snatched his hair back. Two other male foxes (who were in their five hundreds) watched from the sidelines in amused detachment. All three of them were dressed in identical white kimonos with blue linings that marked them as belonging to the Aesthetics – artists whose sole purpose in life was to preserve and beautify; be it living creatures or the inanimate entities like the stones of Koukyo itself.

"There is nothing wrong with my hair!" Inuyasha yelled, as he pulled his hair over his left shoulder and ran his fingers through it caressingly; examining it himself.

"_Of course, there is nothing wrong with my hair!"_ Inuyasha thought irritated. He had been taking good care of it like his mother told him to, growing it long and thick; brushing it out when it got too tangled. So what if the ends were just a _little_ frayed… His hair was a silvery white, frayed ends showed tellingly only in darker hair… so what was the big deal…

Inuyasha looked up to glare at Sesshoumaru who only sighed and stared at him blankly, while Mizuiro stood in the doorway, amused by the proceedings. The original plan had been for Inuyasha to be by himself in the hands of the Aesthetics as they gave him a general skin care routine, a manicure, a pedicure and a hair cut. However, Inuyasha had thrown a fit when left alone with the kitsune, demanding to be "released", screaming that he was not a girl and that he would not stand for being treated like a pampered princess. After several futile attempts at calming the puppy-eared boy and gaining his co-operation, the very annoyed Aesthetic kitsune had summoned their lady, who in turn failing to pacify the silver-haired brat had summoned the hanyou's elder brother.

And right at that moment, the dog demon was feeling severely tempted to cuff the boy. However, that would not exactly help with establishing the hanyou's image as a capable adult.

"Inuyasha, why must you be so difficult?" Sesshoumaru inquired, holding back a sigh with great difficulty.

He was trying to be patient, he really was. But the "Lord of West" needed to attend to his "lordly" duties. Namely figure out how many demon clans he needed to terrorize this coming year for the real or imaginary slights they may have caused their lord Sesshoumaru. Lord Kyoushin had already gone over the RSVPs sent in by all the Upper caste demons of the West, Royals, Warriors and Nobles and had presented the daiyoukai a copy of the guest list upon his entry into Koukyo. However as circumstances would have it, Sesshoumaru still had not had a chance to go through all of the letter scrolls himself, getting barely a glance at a few before Inuyasha had asked to resume the regeneration process. And then there were all the other letters that had come in over the past two months during his absence from Koukyo. He only had until tomorrow when they were going back to Shiyuuchi to receive their guests, and there was still so much that needed to be done.

"I don't need a haircut!" Inuyasha said again.

The male kitsune tiredly rubbed his temples having had heard the same unoriginal line from the halfling brat for over half-an-hour. He looked Inuyasha up and down, his gaze resting briefly on Inuyasha's claws, shuddering noticeably, and then turned towards Sesshoumaru.

"My lord, if I may speak freely." he murmured with a half bow.

"You have my permission, Inji." Sesshoumaru replied.

Inji brightened considerably and bowed lower; glad that his lord remembered the name of a creature of such insignificant station as himself.

"My lord…" he intoned after standing upright once more. "Lord Inuyasha possesses fine thick silver tresses; that is all in all in good condition. However it seems as if the young lord has not gotten his hair trimmed in a very long time, and his front bangs need to be cut thinner and shorter."

Inji moved closer to Inuyasha and forcefully retrieved the long tresses from the hanyou's hands. Inuyasha growled at having his personal space violated, but after a deep growl emanated from Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha submitted and let Inji finger his hair, although that did not stop him from glaring daggers at the offending kitsune.

"The ends of his hair have frayed considerably and two inches of it must be removed to recompense." Inji continued. "Also, it is apparent that lord Inuyasha is not very gentle with his hair when he is brushing it out as is obvious by the torn strands of varying lengths. My apologies, lord Sesshoumaru. My previous estimate was incorrect. Lord Inuyasha needs to have four inches of hair trimmed from the ends, his bangs need to be thinned, and his hair needs to be cut in layers to minimize the appearance of torn ends. After I have completed offering my services, if lord Inuyasha continues to be so brutal with his hairbrush, his hair will need to be trimmed to mid-back length."

"Mid-back!" Inuyasha squawked. "You've got to be kidding! No way in hell am I letting you near my hair with those scissors." Pointing at the instrument on the ledge before the mirror.

"My lord." Interjected one of the other kitsune's in the background. "I am Tegakari and this is Shiage. I am able to offer my services in skincare and perfumery. Lord Inuyasha does not need much help in either arena as he is naturally gifted with beautiful unblemished skin and his scent is remarkably alluring and intoxicating by itself." Inuyasha found himself flushing at the praise. "However, a slight peel regime would help bring a radiant glow to his skin. After that simple regular baths will be enough to maintain his fine appearance."

"What's a peel?" Inuyasha asked cocking his head cutely, turning to Tegakari.

Tegakari was about to answer but Sesshoumaru interjected before he was able to speak.

"And Shiage, if you would explain your presence." He murmured.

"I am here to offer the young lord a manicure and a pedicure." Upon seeing Inuyasha's look of confusion he added. "That means I will be filing your nails to make them more presentable. As Tegakari has already mentioned, the young lord does not require much skincare."

"Only girls file their nails." Inuyasha scoffed, remembering the countless times Sango and Kagome would do each others nails. Why a battle hardened taijiya felt the need to keep her nails pretty and shiny, Inuyasha could not fathom.

"What's wrong with my nails staying the way they are anyways?" Inuyasha asked, studying his claws himself.

Shiage wordlessly came forward, and boldly took the daiyoukai's hands and held it beside the hanyou's for comparison. He then held up his own alongside them.

"Oh… " Inuyasha murmured, turning scarlet in mortification, snatching his hands away.

Sesshoumaru chuckled softly causing all kitsune eyes to turn towards him in surprise. The idea of their stoic lord doing something as commonplace as to chuckle, was unheard of.

"Inuyasha, tomorrow we go back to Shiyuuchi to bring our guests back to Koukyo. At that time your appearance needs to be impeccable." Sesshoumaru said addressing his Otouto. "First impressions are crucial when dealing with demons or humans, both familiar and strange. When our guests are here, I will not tolerate them ostracizing you on account of your appearance."

"My appearance… " Inuyasha murmured staring into the mirror. The person that stared back at him had beautiful perfectly symmetrical features; a long sharp aristocratic nose, fine high cheekbones, full coral lips and a pair of large amber eyes with a tilt to them that was considered exotic among both demons and humans.

Then he looked at his reflection again, but this time more closely. For the first time he noticed the too thick bangs that distracted from the beautiful eyes; the skin that although perfect, lacked the radiance that both the kitsune and Sesshoumaru emitted; the random strands of hair that could not be tamed, unless confined within a braid.

_Filthy… Uncouth… Unkempt… Barbaric…_ the words rang within his head.

Because of his mixed heritage, for all of his life, Inuyasha had been called any number of insults; none which he had particularly cared for. But upon hearing Sesshoumaru's words and those of the kitsune it all came back to him. It hurt him to admit that maybe… just maybe… there was a shred of truth within those claims… maybe he really was…

Inuyasha shook his head violently trying to shake free of the vile thoughts, the jeering voices that were all within his own head, his past coming back to mock him. He then made the mistake of looking back into the mirror. Only this time, all he saw was his ears.

"My appearance…" he murmured desolately, garnering looks shock followed by understanding from the assembled demons, when he reached up to touch his ears.

_Mongrel… whore-get… filthy creature… Why did you not die the day you were born… _

_Half-breed scum… corrupting our children with his unnatural presence… kill him!_

_Dirty half-blood… unholy child, defiling our pure princess… _

Inuyasha looked away from the mirror unable to tolerate his reflection and the resounding jeers. He did not realize that he had reached up to fist his hands over his ears in a vain attempt to block the sounds out. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear a female voice asking if a healer needed to be summoned, followed by an authoritative male voice telling the female to not be so hasty… The words made no sense to him in his self inflicted haze of confusion.

"_Inuyasha… Inuyasha…"_ he could hear someone calling his name in the distance over and over again.

"_Inuyasha…"_ the traumatized boy thought in wonder, _"that's my name…"_

It felt strange to be addressed by his own name, and not the expletives that were so commonly used. Slowly the haze retreated and the voice became louder. It seemed to be coming from right before him. He could feel a hand running gentle circles on his knee.

"Inuyasha…" The voice called again. Only this time, he was able to assign a name to the voice.

"Sesshoumaru…" he asked uncertainly, opening his eyes that he had unknowingly closed tightly. Kneeling before him he saw his half-brother with a look in his eyes that seemed foreign to Inuyasha. Inuyasha discovered that he too was kneeling.

_When had that happened?_

"Are you well, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked the hanyou, still rubbing his knee. "Shall I call for the healer?"

Inuyasha continued to blankly stare into the metallic eyes when it suddenly dawned on him what it was he was seeing.

_Worry… concern… _

"_Sesshoumaru was worried about me…"_

The realization strangely comforted the distressed boy. Strangely disjointed and echoing, Sesshoumaru's words came back to him.

"_When our guests are here, I will not tolerate them ostracizing you on account of your appearance."_

Inuyasha put his hand over the hand on his knee, clenching it slightly, stilling its progress.

"I'm fine…" Inuyasha murmured, "I'm fine…", he repeated, this time with more strength in his voice. "It happens sometimes… then it passes… I'm alright now…"

Sesshoumaru stared into his eyes long and hard, before the corner of his lips lifted almost imperceptibly and his gaze gentled.

"You are well." Sesshoumaru agreed, lifting his other hand to cup Inuyasha's face. "Your spirit is strong and you will not allow your past to cast a shadow upon your present and future. That pleases this Sesshoumaru."

The words somehow lifted the darkness that had momentarily taken hold of Inuyasha's heart, and the kiss that followed was sweet and chaste and Inuyasha allowed it. He tipped his head to a side unconsciously and leaned further into the kiss, welcoming Sesshoumaru as his arms wrapped around him pulling him into a loose embrace. Inuyasha briefly wondered why he had been fighting Sesshoumaru's attentions. It felt so good to give in just so… Inuyasha parted his lips and allowed Sesshoumaru to taste him, remaining passive throughout the whole experience. He needed this… he needed Sesshoumaru to drive away the loneliness…

A stifled giggle caused him to break free of the kiss. The realization of what he had been doing hit Inuyasha full force and flushing, he gently pushed Sesshoumaru away with his hands on his chest. Sesshoumaru smirked, allowed Inuyasha to pull away somewhat, but kept his arms looped around Inuyasha's hips.

In the doorway beside Mizuiro, stood a young kitsune male who appeared to be about Inuyasha's age perhaps a little younger wearing a dark blue haori atop a cream-coloured kimono, hakama and black boots and a little kitsune maiden who appeared about nine years old in human years. The little girl was holding Mizuiro's hand and was staring at Inuyasha's puppy ears in complete fascination. It was obvious that it was only Mizuiro's restraining hand that was keeping the child from leaping at the hanyou boy and petting his ears as most young females regardless of species were apt to do. The insolent smirk the kitsune male directed towards Inuyasha made the hanyou stiffen which was promptly noted by his overprotective half-brother. Sesshoumaru turned to see who it was that was upsetting his Inuyasha and his eyes narrowed when his eyes met those of the young male who stared back brashly.

"Shinkirou, it seems that you have finally been able to make the time to grace this Sesshoumaru with your presence." Sesshoumaru said sardonically, rising to his feet. Behind him, Inuyasha stood as well.

Mizuiro flushed in mortification on her son's behalf, who only stood there staring insolently at the lord and his hanyou sibling uttering not a single word of apology.

"Hello lord Sesshoumaru. Haha-ue is teaching me to throw senbon. Haha-ue says I'm real good." The little girl chirped from beside her mother. Mizuiro sent her a reprimanding look upon which the child looked thoughtful.

"Oh!" she exclaimed as if struck by an epiphany. "Haha-ue says I am really good at wielding the senbon." The child looked up at her mother for approval, who smiled back indulgently. Chuckles came from around the room.

"Misora." Sesshoumaru intoned amusedly. "It pleases me to make your acquaintance once more."

"Really!" Misora exclaimed happily. Shinkirou lightly cuffed her behind her head, earning him a reproachful look from his mother and a pout from his sister.

Sesshoumaru observed that Shinkirou was preparing to say something to Inuyasha, and judging by the calculating leer in his eyes, it was not something complementary he wished to say. Sesshoumaru dearly wanted to inflict his "Spirit Possession" ability on Shinkirou, but in light of Inuyasha's recent episode, it would be for the best if the hanyou was not excited in any way.

Sesshoumaru immediately wrapped an arm around Inuyasha's waist and pulled him close, making Mizuiro smile and the little girl to giggle again. He then spoke authoritatively; overriding whatever Shinkirou had to say, causing the young male kitsune to glower.

"Lady Mizuiro, I trust that everything is in order and the preparation for the Gathering is progressing as planned."

Mizuiro looked at her lord slyly, conscious of the snub had just been delivered to her son.

"My lord. Everything progresses smoothly. My mate awaits you in your antechamber. With him he has all the letters and scrolls that require your personal attention."

Sesshoumaru nodded in acknowledgement, easily catching on to what was left unsaid. The alpha kitsune pair did not trust Shinkirou with such delicate information as is present within those scrolls. By rights, Shinkirou as the heir to his father as the Steward of Koukyo was sufficiently privileged to have access to such information. The fact that they had withheld this information showed how little faith they had in their son, and how low he had fallen in their eyes.

The kitsune were efficient as always and Sesshoumaru knew he needed to return to the silver dog wing to meet lord Kyoushin, but he was loath to leave Inuyasha alone in his current delicate state of mind. He noted the challenging look that Inuyasha was directing towards the kitsune heir. Sesshoumaru did not want a direct confrontation to take place between Shinkirou and Inuyasha during his absence. Mizuiro seemed to have guessed at some of his thoughts, as she immediately addressed Shinkirou, and commanded him to do go over all of the guest suites and do a check to determine that every suite was well provided for. Shinkirou glowered at his mother then, without a single word of farewell, he stormed off towards the guest wing of Koukyo, his high waist-long pony-tail and haori swirling dramatically about his form.

Sesshoumaru stared after the retreating figure, his jaws clenching at the blatant show of disrespect. Behind him he could hear the shocked and disgusted voices of the Aesthetics as they made disparaging remarks about Shinkirou and his utter unworthiness in regards to his position as heir to the Steward of Koukyo. Even Misora looked ashamed at her brother's less than decorous departure. Mizuiro only looked on stonily, her eyes dark with anger.

"Sesshoumaru..." Inuyasha called tentatively into the silence.

Sesshoumaru turned to look at Inuyasha, anger draining from his features at the concern in those amber eyes.

"Do not concern yourself." He murmured, wrapping an arm around Inuyasha, pulled him close, and nuzzled his head. He was immensely delighted when Inuyasha nuzzled him back, albeit shyly. "He is simply a young fool that has overstepped his boundaries, once too often, in full consciousness of the impending retribution. He will be dealt with soon enough. By disrespecting both you and I; Shinkirou has forfeited his right to security as is owed to the golden fox clan for their services rendered to the silver dog clan."

Inuyasha looked confused.

"You're going to punish him?" he asked.

Sesshoumaru nodded in affirmative. Mizuiro looked on grimly at the by-play, a look of cold satisfaction settling onto her features.

"Haha-ue… Is that lord Inuyasha?" Misora whispered softly, tugging on her mother's kimono sleeve.

Mizuiro looked down at her daughter and composed her face into a smile. Misora may look like a small female carbon-copy of her brother appearance-wise, but she possessed none of his pettiness and misguided ego. Some day she would make a fine Stewardess.

"Lord Inuyasha…" Mizuiro intoned, turning to look at Inuyasha. "Allow me to introduce to you my daughter, Misora. She is in training to be Stewardess of Shiyuuchi; heiress to my mate's sister, lady Kyoushou of Shiyuuchi."

Inuyasha looked at Misora and held out his hand in invitation.

Misora gleefully leapt away from her mother, ran forward and put her hand in Inuyasha's, causing the hanyou to chuckle.

"Hey there, brat." Inuyasha greeted with a roguish smirk, taking in the child's long ash-blonde hair that was in a braid reaching to her knees and her pale yellow-gold silk kimono embroidered with leaping foxes.

"I'm not a brat!" Misora insisted. "I'm a lady."

Inuyasha chuckled and Sesshoumaru smirked at the interaction.

"Misora…" Sesshoumaru intoned gravely. "I have a very important task for you. Will you serve me well?"

"Oh yes, my lord! I will, I will!" Misora exclaimed excitedly, happy to be given a grown up task by her revered lord.

Mizuiro looked at Sesshoumaru, a question in her eyes.

"With your mother's permission, I would like for you to remain with Inuyasha while he is with the Aesthetics. After that I wish for you to give my Otouto a tour of the Palace. Will that be alright, lady Mizuiro?" he said addressing the last to lady of the golden foxes.

Mizuiro smiled and nodded her acceptance and Misora gleefully embraced the amused hanyou and bounced. Misora then took Inuyasha by the hand, and led him to the high chair where Inuyasha seated himself. She then transformed into a small golden fox as large as a housecat and leaped onto Inuyasha's lap, settling there comfortably. Inuyasha did not seem surprised to see her transform, confirming Sesshoumaru's suspicion that Inuyasha was familiar with the transformational abilities of noble youkai.

"Easily excited, isn't she." Inuyasha murmured, addressing her mother as Misora playfully nipped at his claws.

Mizuiro chuckled. "She is her father's delight."

"Inuyasha, are these arrangements to your preference?" Sesshoumaru asked addressing his half-brother.

"Yeah… It's all good… I'll be fine…" Inuyasha murmured back, threading his claws through Misora's golden fur, causing her to arch and croon much like Kirara. Behind him Inji came forward and began to brush Inuyasha's hair, gently easing out the tangles. Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned back, enjoying the attention given to his hair, forgetting his earlier grievances. "See you later, 'kay."

"I'll see you later." Sesshoumaru replied, leaning forward to press a chaste kiss to Inuyasha's lips which was reciprocated, drawing away before he was tempted to do more. Inuyasha blinked and then settled back again wondering at Sesshoumaru's open show of affection in the presence of other demons. He had rather expected Sesshoumaru to be secretive in his affection considering how many would not look favourably upon their lord explicitly favouring a hanyou.

When Sesshoumaru and Mizuiro left, Misora transformed back to her elfin form and tried to reach for the puppy ears only to have her hands captured by Inuyasha. Misora struggled for a bit, but then surrendered good-naturedly. After a few moments, she looked at Inuyasha thoughtfully and innocently asked, "Are you and lord Sesshoumaru lovers?"

Inuyasha flushed scarlet at the question, causing Misora to ask more probing questions inquiring after Inuyasha's health. Behind him, Inuyasha could hear the foxes quietly snickering as they worked away at trying to tame his thick wavy mane.

**oOoOo**

Sesshoumaru took the pale white feather of a blood crow demon and pierced his thumb with its sharp tip. Within moments, the feather absorbed the daiyoukai's blood and took on the bright red hue of fresh blood. Sesshoumaru applied the tip to an unmarked scroll prepared by the sorcerers' guild as he elegantly scripted out a letter politely demanding to know why the Hyena clan had failed to identify the reasons for their careful declination of their invitation to attend the Gathering. Not that Sesshoumaru did not already have a good idea why more than half of the youkai clans of the West had been "deeply regretful that they could not enjoy the bounties of Koukyo this season"; nevertheless, it would not do for the youkai lord to simply traipse into their lairs and decimate their population significantly in view that their slight had been subtly delivered.

It pleased him to note that all the warrior clans of the West would be attending. Given the nature of Warrior class demons to live nomadic lives, they had seen much during their travels, and were thus more tolerant of the outré. Sesshoumaru was surprised to note that the Brown Wolf clan, the ruling warrior clan of the West had selected themselves a new leader… none other than Inuyasha's brash rival slash friend, the wolf prince Kouga. Sesshoumaru was aware that at one time Kouga had declared himself to be "in love" with the untrained slut priestess Kagome, so he was surprised to note that he would be bringing with him the princess of the Mountain wolves, Ayame. Sesshoumaru briefly wondered who this Ayame person was. He did not recall having ever encountered the girl and according to Kyoushin's research, she was only 179 years old and had not yet experienced her first heat. Even if the wolf princess Ayame did go into her first heat this season, a mating would not be allowed between the two wolves as the girl was still underage.

Demons of the upper caste, only above the age of two centuries were allowed to consummate a mating bond. Sesshoumaru remembered his own first paramour, lady Kagetsu of the Black Dog demons, and their three month long affair. Lord Renshoumaru, Sesshoumaru's father had forcefully separated the two in light of Sesshoumaru's youth, then only 181 years old, despite Kagetsu's 205 years of age. Since then, Sesshoumaru had on many seasons indulged himself in the charms of the dark-haired, golden-eyed beauty's body, but he had not attempted to foster a mating bond with her. And in light of present circumstances, given that he was the sole surviving Silver Inu youkai, it would have been a grave error to have taken her as his mate.

Kagetsu was not skilled in much other than her feminine charms (which she wielded with finesse), and did not possess a conniving mind. However, her loyalty lay always, first and fore-most with her clan and then with Sesshoumaru; even during their brief affair when she had professed that the silver dog held her greatest regard. It was not difficult to tell that she was lying given that it was possible to detect falsehoods over the mating bond, even in its infant stages. Had he been mated to Kagetsu, heiress of the Black Dog demons, her family would have simply eliminated him (most probably by ambushing him at a time of weakness), and then the reigns to the Lands of the West would have transferred from the hands of the Silver dogs to those of the Black dogs. In retrospect, Sesshoumaru realized that perhaps that had been his father's primary motivation in terminating their nascent mating bond, using his youth as but an excuse. The silver dogs and black dogs had never seen each other eye to eye; hence it was highly suspicious that the clan spent so much energy in trying to cultivate the favour of the then impressionable lord.

Kyoushin tapped on the table with a scroll bringing the inu youkai's attention back to the present. Sesshoumaru regarded the mountain of scrolls present before him, and almost reconsidered taking Kagetsu as a mate and allowing her clan to do away with him. He was reasonably certain that one would not have to do paperwork in the next world. Sesshoumaru turned his gaze onto the lord of the golden foxes and noted the strain present on his face, not all of which Sesshoumaru suspected was because of the impending Gathering.

For the longest time, Kyoushin had been excessively proud of his firstborn and only son, taking immense pleasure in his achievements. However, the simple fact that Shinkirou did not attend to them in the antechamber as he had done the previous year as part of his training as the future steward was a very telling detail. The chore Mizuiro had assigned her son was just that; a chore. Performing routine checks on the guest suites to address any shortcomings was a duty generally assigned to the kitsune children that were still in training, and were too young to be trusted with greater duties. The fact that his own parents had lost faith in Shinkirou's abilities as future clan lord spoke volumes. Sesshoumaru sighed inwardly. Lord Kyoushin was a good man and undeserving of the pain his child was causing him. As were present circumstances, Shinkirou could not be transferred to Shiyuuchi, for that was to be Misora's future domain, nor could he be kept within Koukyo because of the friction his actions were causing amidst the kitsune. Shinkirou at 195 years of age was not too far away from officially becoming the kitsune heir, and was too old to be retrained into any other position within Koukyo or Shiyuuchi. If Shinkirou did not mend his ways soon, the only option remaining would be to execute him; but that too was not a viable option as his impudence was not deserving of so harsh a penalty as a death sentence. Sesshoumaru decided to watch Shinkirou a little longer to see if there was anything left salvageable within the young kitsune.

Sesshoumaru consciously filed away Shinkirou's fate for later consideration as he gave his attention to the scrolls before him. Part of his mind though simply refused to focus as his thoughts went back to the previous evening when Inuyasha had shared with him the story of his mother and the circumstances that had lead to her fleeing her homeland of Setsuna permanently.

**oOoOo**

In the conservatory, the inu siblings were seated on the folding bench. Sesshoumaru had his arm wrapped around Inuyasha's waist, his palm gently caressing Inuyasha's sides, the other hand stroking his ears. As Inuyasha continued to tell his story, Sesshoumaru took the opportunity to familiarize Inuyasha with his presence, laying soft kisses on his face and neck whenever he got the chance. In the beginning Inuyasha had been very skittish, turning his face away when Sesshoumaru attempted to kiss him, but as the evening progressed, Inuyasha started accepting the caresses, even looking a trifle disappointed when Sesshoumaru withdrew after his brief kisses. Sesshoumaru dearly wanted to do a lot more, but he knew better than to push his luck at this point when Inuyasha was still growing accustomed to his attention.

As it turned out, after Izayoi had been handed over to prince Isagiyoi, she became the prince's most treasured child, favouring her above his legitimate children and potential heirs. Izayoi's beauty became to her, both a blessing and a curse. Her looks and heritage lead her to become the favourite child of the prince and dearly beloved by courtiers and warriors alike. However, this favouritism caused Izayoi to come to be hated by all of her blood kin and the palace concubines, who constantly strived to humiliate her in subtle ways such that the blame could not be traced back to them. Hence, being raised amidst intrigue for all of her life, Izayoi learned to be an exceptional politician, although her father and court turned a blind eye to her political skills. In the court of Setsuna, women were merely ornamental creatures that possessed no voices of their own and served only to exemplify their affiliated lord's prominence.

At the age of four, Shizenrin came in the darkness of the night to visit the baby Izayoi, and recognized Izayoi's growing spiritual powers. Being a Tennyo, she realized the need for Izayoi to learn to control her blossoming powers. However, in Setsuna, women practising the art of sorcery were immediately condemned to a death sentence, before which they are thoroughly and publicly humiliated. Shizenrin, thrilled with the discovery that she would be acting outside the legal bounds of Setsuna, began secretly training her abandoned daughter in the art of sorcery by contacting her through her dreams, always impressing upon her the need for secrecy. In time, Izayoi drew up to be a beautiful young lady whose ability in sorcery was unparalleled in the mortal realm, or so Shizenrin claimed since Izayoi had never engaged in any duels of sorcery since her abilities were meant to be a closely guarded secret, shared between only the mother and child.

All in all, Izayoi-hime led a good life, and if she was hated by her blood kin, she was revered and idolized by her courtiers. Her sorcery helped her out immensely as she secretly spied on her kin to learn of their plans, foiling their schemes before they could come to fruition. However, when Izayoi reached the age of fifteen, her perfect life shattered revealing it to be the illusion it was.

Izayoi, when she was very young had thought that her father had loved her, but as she grew older and her eyes became jaded, she came to realize that to her father she was only a prize intended to be sold off to the highest bidder, to further Isagiyoi's avarice for power. Predictably, because of her unparalleled beauty, Izayoi was sought after by many rich and powerful suitors. In the end, Izayoi discovered upon spying upon her father that she had been betrothed to the aging emperor of the neighbouring lands in an attempt to gain a powerful ally in the feudal times. Izayoi had been frantic with worry since the Emperor was renowned for his tyrannical nature and his tendency to share his multiple wives with his allies and courtiers as reward for services rendered. In her panic, she made a very crucial error. In her youth, she made the mistake of approaching her father and beseeched him to reconsider the alliance. When Isagiyoi had refused, she foolishly threatened to runaway or to commit suicide which led prince Isagiyoi to imprison her within a wing of the palace and place her under house-arrest. Once placed in captivity, Izayoi contacted her mother through her dreams seeing her as a last resort, hoping that her situation would appeal to Shizenrin's desire for adventure. However, Shizenrin at that time was suitably entertained by the intrigue of the celestial plane, and refused her assistance in a matter she deemed as trivial. After all, the tennyo herself saw no wrong in sharing her bed with multiple partners and in her view; prince Isagiyoi was wise to act in this fashion in order to acquire such a powerful alliance as that of the Emperor.

At this point, Izayoi was desperate, and she knew that should she remain in Setsuna there would be no escape for her from this engagement. Even if she did leave the small kingdom of Setsuna, no matter where she ran she would be captured and then turned over to the Emperor, and then the consequences would be dire. Izayoi did not dare use sorcery to stage her escape as the Emperor had plenty of sorcerers within his employment, and should her training in sorcery be discovered, she would not only be killed, she would be publicly humiliated in any fashion the Emperor desired, and the Emperor was renowned for his sick sense of humour.

Under these circumstances, Izayoi took an enormous risk, and took the only option left to her. With the help of her most trusted handmaidens, Izayoi gathered to herself her most trusted followers and a battalion of samurai whose commander was Takemaru; an honourable young man that Izayoi at that time did not realize was deeply infatuated with her. On the following moonless night, Izayoi made subtle use of her sorcery and deepened the sleep of the palace inhabitants. She then teleported herself to a secret location in the palace gardens she normally used to practise sorcery and then under the cover of darkness, Izayoi fled Setsuna with a battalion of Samurai and her loyal followers to go to the only place she knew where not even the Emperor would dare send his men – the Demonic Nations.

**oOoOo**

Suddenly there was a loud shattering noise. Sesshoumaru looked up startled to see the expensive ceramic vase smashed into pieces against the wall. He looked back at lord Kyoushin wide-eyed, who gave him a pointed look, tapping at the scroll in his hand. Sesshoumaru looked down to see that he had spilled most of the blood in the feather onto the scroll, rendering it useless. Sesshoumaru took in a steadying breath and refilled the feather as he took the fresh scroll offered by Kyoushin.

"_Right… paper work… focus…"_ Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he returned his attention to the scroll.

Before him, Kyoushin made loud noises with whatever was available, disrupting Sesshoumaru's train of thought every time he got lost in his own musings.

"_Damn kitsune and their efficiency…"_

**oOoOo **

* * *

**Character profiles of OCs created by oStilloDreamingo**

**Inji (****artistic pursuits**)  
Species: Nobility - Golden Fox Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Koukyo  
Status: Aesthetic - Hair  
Age Group: Adult - 650+

**Tegakari (****to scent**)  
Species: Nobility - Golden Fox Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Koukyo  
Status: Aesthetic - Skin and Perfumery  
Age Group: Adult - 500+

**Shiage**** (finishing touches)**  
Species: Nobility - Golden Fox Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Koukyo  
Status: Aesthetic - Nail Care  
Age Group: Adult - 500+

**Shinkirou (mirage)**  
Species: Nobility - Golden Fox Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Koukyo  
Status: Heir apparent to Lord Kyoushin  
Age Group: Juvenile - 195

**Misora**** (beautiful sky)**  
Species: Nobility - Golden Fox Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands; Shiyuuchi  
Status: Heir apparent to Lady Kyoushou  
Age Group: Child - 90

**Lady Kagetsu ****(bright moon)**  
Species: Royalty - Black Dog Demon  
Allegiance: Western Lands  
Status: Heiress to the Black Dog demon clan  
Age Group: Adult - 559

**oOoOo **

* * *

_**Author's Note: **_

**Special thanks to my reviewers:** sleepless, IvyLady, Raincurtain, Heidi, Jester08, the blasphemous, MiseryluvsDeath aka Fidele, Silvermane1, TeeDee, EmeraldSnake11, silversnow10, Princess Sin, Shinimegami7, RKInu241, Mirokuluver's Friend, Natasha AKA Tash, Sekre, irat, petpeeves12, SANGO QUEEN OF SLAYERS, DemonGoddess061 and thr3e.

**sleepless:**  
Thanks for liking the class notes and the green house scenario! This chapter is longer. I hope you enjoy it. Happy New Year!

**IvyLady:  
**LOL! Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed Izayoi's story thus far. I added another instalment of her life in this chapter. I hope you will find it as captivating. I put in a bit more InuSess bonding in this chapter. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter as a whole! Happy New Year!

**Raincurtain**:  
Thanks! I'm glad you liked the little details. It's the glue that holds my story together. And you have good observational skills. I did base my flower on lavenders. I looked up flowers that would sorta match what I was looking for, but the closest I could get were the relaxant abilities of lavender oil. Its not really lavender, just based on it. I didn't bother naming it, because every name I came up with were ill-fitting.  
And since you asked, yep we will be seeing more of the mage-light in later chapters. It will help make sense of Inuyasha's powers. I wish I had one too! It would be too cool! LOL! Happy New Year!

**Heidi:**  
LOL! Thanks for saying that this is one of your favourite stories and I'm so sorry I disappointed you. I'm sorry, but I needed to put down those explanations so that people would not have a hard time reading my fic. I've seen it done in some fantasy novels I have read. But don't worry, it was a one time thing. I probably wouldn't be posting another one of those for at least seven more chapters. I' glad you enjoyed the story of Izayoi's birth. Hope you enjoy the new piece I've added in regards to her life in Setsuna. Happy New Year!

**Jester08:**  
Thank you so much for your PM. It made me very happy to read your take on my story. I'm glad you liked the InuSess bonding. Thank you for your support. I have more InuSess bonding in this chapter. I hope you like it as well. Happy New Year!

oOo Jester08's PM oOo

Hey,  
The site wasn't letting me leave a review for your latest chapter of 'Hidden in Plain Sight', so I thought I would review this way! I  
thought the whole interaction between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru was very well written. I liked how you made Sesshomaru a little more playful and I  
love your made up past for Inuyasha's mother! Don't let the the ramblings of people who don't like your story to get you don't because I think  
you have an amazing story going. Update soon please because I really can't wait for more!! Keep up the good work!! 

Thanks, Jessica  
AKA - Jester08

oOo PM End oOo

**the blasphemous:  
**Thanks for pointing that out. I meant that Inuyasha aged like a human till the age of seventeen. And now that he is 200, he appears eighteen years old; i.e., he aged, but not much.  
Also, thanks for your question, which was: If Inuyasha is only one-quarter human, and thusly 1/4 mortal (and instead is one one-half demon (1/2 of a ridiculously long lifecycle) AND is one-fourth Tennyo (thus 1/4 immortal), why does he age like a human? It seems to me that he would age much more like a demon than a human. His human heritage seems to have taken a bit of a backseat in a lot of things, so why would it surface in his early-life aging scheme?  
My answer to that is: Humans are the most virile when compared to Tenjin and Youkai. It is Izayoi's human blood that made it possible for her to conceive a demon child. Izayoi herself, failed to inherit her mother's immortality, so she could not pass it onto Inuyasha. Since Inuyasha's conception is mainly thanks to his human blood, he underwent growth like a human until the age of seventeen. After the age of seventeen, I made it so that Inuyasha's heat (which began at fourteen) triggered his youkai heritage to take prominence, which is why he now ages like a demon.  
LOL! I didn't feel like you were complaining at all. If my story seems fuzzy to you, please do point it out. I want this to be an easy read for most of my readers.  
You have my sympathy in regards to the dissection. (marks dissection as taboo topic)  
LOL! That was some interesting information about the word "drivel" and its origins. Thanks for enlightening me. If it wasn't obvious already, I adore details and trivia.  
Thanks for your well-wishing. Happy New Year!

**MiseryluvsDeath aka Fidele:  
**Your Welcome! I'm glad my fic made you happy! I hope you like the new chapter as well! Happy New Year!

**Silvermane1**:  
As always, thank you for taking the time to review. I hope you enjoy this new chapter. Happy New Year!

**TeeDee:  
**Thanks! I'm glad someone appreciates the realism I'm trying to inject into their relationship. Love at first sight scenarios just don't work for me. I hope you like this new chapter! Happy New Year!

**EmeraldSnake11**:  
Oh my God! Thank you! That has to be one of the biggest complements anyone has ever given me. LOL! Sadly, I'm a fanfic writer and haven't yet attempted an original work. You're comments are encouraging. I might give it a try, if only to challenge myself. Who knows, I might succeed in my attempt. grin I'm glad you enjoyed the inu siblings playing with the mage-light. I hope you enjoy this new chapter as well! Happy New Year!

**silversnow10:  
**Oh does it? I hadn't realized that my fic resembles Naruto somewhat. I'll take that as a compliment. Naruto is one of my all time fave anime too (Although the fillers are grating on my nerves). I hope you enjoy this new chapter. It includes elements of what you like. Happy New Year!

**Princess Sin:  
**LOL! Thanks for liking the story so much. I'm glad my explanations regarding Izayoi seem feasible to you. I hope you enjoy this new chapter. Happy New Year!

**Shinimegami7:**  
Thank you so much. It was really sweet of you to log out just to review. LOL! I know… I know… long author notes are bad, but under the circumstances, it was necessary. I'll try not to inflict such torture on my readers in the future. Thanks for liking the info bits and the InuSess interaction! I hope you enjoy this new chapter. Happy New Year!

**RKInu241**:  
LOL! Thanks! Here's more about Inuyasha's heritage as you requested. Also, the answer to your question, the Gathering begins in the next chapter or the chapter after. I hope you like this chapter! Happy New Year!

**Mirokuluver's Friend:  
**LOL! I'm glad my fic made you so happy! grin I hope you enjoy this new chapter. Happy New Year!

**Natasha AKA Tash**:  
Your review was just too sweet. It made me so happy to read it. It makes me so happy to know that someone out there has so must confidence in my writing ability that they are willing to nominate me for any fiction awards. LOL! Yes I do a lot of research to make my fic believable. How did I come up with this story? Frankly I have no clue. I originally just wanted to write a sweet brotherly fic where Sesshoumaru acknowledges Inuyasha inu youkai heritage. But as I began writing, more ideas just came popping into my head and the fic took on a life of its own. To preserve my sanity, I had to put it down on paper. To make my fic more believable, I went out and did some research into the Inuyasha anime and myths in general. And thus was born my story. My initial set uup of story plot and characters took about three weeks, which I don't count as very long.  
You also asked me how long it took Inuyasha to master his sword and magic. In answer to that I will say that he had training in sorcery since he had become self aware in his infancy, and he became quite proficient by the age of twenty. Currently, his abilities in sorcery are off the chart as will be evident in later chapters. As for the sword, I will be addressing that in the coming chapters, so I will refrain from answering at present. Also, as the story progresses, I will be revealing more of Inuyasha's background and heritage, so will need to be patient.  
You assumptions are partly correct. Sesshoumaru had been attracted to Inuyasha for quite a while, but at that time the attraction was not reciprocated. Inuyasha is only just growing attracted to Sesshoumaru now that the Inu youkai is making advances on the hanyou.  
Also, as you can see, there will be plenty of kisses between the inu siblings.  
LOL! I'm always happy to answer questions, so please feel free to ask away. I hope you enjoy this new chapter.  
Happy New Year!

**Sekre: **  
Thanks for logging out and reviewing! grin Thanks for liking Izayoi's tale. Do let me know if you like this chapter's instalment on Izayoi's history as well. Also, as to your comment on Inuyasha being one-fourth god, I'd like you to scroll down to the "PLEASE NOTE" section in the "To all my readers" section. Thanks for liking my story and Happy New Year!

**irat**:  
I'm glad you were surprised that Inuyasha possessed Tennyo blood. Also, as I keep saying, I am always happy to answer questions, so please feel free to ask away. As for important information regarding halflings, I will reveal them as the story progresses. I hope you enjoyed this update. Happy New Year!

**petpeeves12:**  
hmmm… good guess. Not quite on the spot, but very close. LOL! I'm glad you are enjoying my fic. Happy New Year!

**SANGO QUEEN OF SLAYERS:  
**LOL! Thanks for saying that. Yep, Sesshoumaru is rather promiscuous. Sticks to a single lover in a season, but has had many different lovers. For my fic, lately Sesshoumaru had been taking a lover once every five or six years as opposed to every year as is the common practice. I'm glad you are enjoying my fic thus far, and I hope you will enjoy the future chapters as well. Happy New Year!

**DemonGoddess061:  
**LOL! I can see I have some very perceptive readers (or maybe my idea was just overused in too many fics. shrugs). I'm glad you found Sesshoumaru's responses to be amusing as it was intended to be. I'm also glad that you are enjoying the subtle interactions of the inu siblings as you put it. Most readers just demand that I just leap right ahead to the smut (not my style). Anyways, thanks for your review and a Happy New Year!

**thr3e:  
**LOL! Happens to the best of us.  
I'm glad you enjoy my chapter endings. I know for a fact that my chapter openings are weak at best (something I really need to work on), so I try to make up for it by creating a memorable ending. I want my readers to get a just "happy" feeling when they have finished reading my piece. I'm glad you picked up on the fact that Shizenrin thought that Izayoi was ugly although I did not actually spell it out as such. LOL! Yes, I happen to love researching. Theres just so much out there I don't know about, and I just get this "feel good" feeling when I learn something new. grin And thank you for supporting my little info pieces. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter. Happy New Year!

* * *

_**To all my readers: **_

Hey everyone! Happy New Year everyone! This site is really beginning to annoy me. It seems as if the email system breaks down every other week. sigh.

I'm pretty sure everyone out there is thinking: Finally we see the fox brat. What took this authoress so long to write him into her story. Well, here he is, Shinkirou in all his glory. You will be seeing more of him in the coming chapters. Do let me know what you think of him from what you gathered in this chapter when you get the chance.

I'm glad most people out there enjoyed the previous chapter, but after reading my reviews, I realized a crucial assumption that most of my readers were making, which does not apply at all to my story.

**Please NOTE:** Tennyo are not Goddesses. In the Inuyasha world I am using, Kami/God is the all powerful spiritual entity that is responsible for the creation of the universe. As I am mostly using Eastern Philosophy, the people in the Inuyasha World follow a very humanistic form of animism. That means that they believe that the shifts in Nature directly affect the lives of humans and demons. The Universe is basically composed of the spiritual energy: chi, whose ebbs and flows basically accounts for everything ranging from fortune/misfortune in everyday life to the changing seasons. The humans and demons do not actively worship this spiritual entity, but hold it in high regard and are thus very eco-sensitive (in tune with nature). This is probably a lot of technical jargon that probably means nothing to most of you, but my main point is that, please, under no circumstance believe that the tennyo in my story are goddesses. They are simply immortal creatures of whimsy.

As a side note, since I do use a lot of elements from already established myths, I'd like to point out that there is no such thing as the blood crow I described. Came up with it to suit the occasion. I did try to hunt up information about something similar in popular mythology, but failing to do so, I relied on the fruits of my imagination.

I guess** this particular comment is directed towards all the people out there who are authors on this site or anywhere else for that matter**. After proof-reading this chapter, my Beta commented that this chapter lacked a central theme. For example, the previous chapter was about Izayoi's birth, the one before it was about introducing the healer and sorceress. My Beta says that, this chapter lacks a central theme to unite it as a whole. What do you guys think? I wrote this chapter as a means to introduce the long awaited Shinkirou, prime Inuyasha for the impending Gathering, and to get in a little bit more of Izayoi's heritage. This chapter is essentially a primer for the Gathering connecting it to the chapters that have gone before it. Anyone have any suggestions on how I could have better organized this chapter?

**Anyways, thanks everyone for reading and reviewing!**


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